Silver Demons
by StarLion
Summary: Continuation of 'Silver Legends'. Having finished telling of his adventures as the Hero of Time, Silver now reveals his second adventure saving Termina from a falling moon, demons and a strange mask salesman.
1. A New Adventure

**A/N:** Well, here we are - by popular request, the continuation of my Sonic/Zelda crossovers and the tale of Silver's second adventure. As usual, I don't own either.

I shouldn't really have to say anything much here, since Silver will do most of that himself. Occasionally it'll dip back to the third-person view seen at the start here, and at some point yet to be decided our absent Hero will also make his first appearance.

Also note that when Silver mentions the companions, he doesn't make a mistake. It might look like it - anyone who has played Majora's Mask will certainly notice it - but it isn't a mistake.

I'll be putting up a few initial chapters today, then it'll be getting regular updates alongside the other stories, so if you're just joining us stay tuned for more.

Finally, if you've been wondering why I chose to entitle this one 'Silver Demons', the explanation will become clear in time. I'm not spoiling anything.

So, without any more of my rambling, lets hand over to Silver and let him get on with it. Enjoy.

* * *

Although it was rarely seen and not exactly something most people would recognise, Sonic was sulking. Tails' workshop had seen a sudden outbreak of green, not just any green but the legendary green that befit any named Hero of Hyrule, and he was not one of its bearers.

Up until the moment he'd known about the fourth Hero – by their time at least, since time in Hyrule put them in a different order – he'd had no problem with this. He along with others had been dragged to Hyrule when Tails had become the fourth Hero by Hyrule's reckoning known there now as the Twilight Fox.

Following that, the mysterious time-travelling Silver had been reveal as the immediate predecessor to Tails, the Hero of Time and of far-off Termina. During Tails' adventure Sonic had actually visited Termina, and though he hadn't made a point of looking as such, there had been no mention of a hero.

During Silver's recounting of his first adventure, Knuckles had suddenly showing up also sporting the Hero's green, shown not only to be the very first Hero Hyrule had seen, but also involved in the forging of the similarly legendary Master Sword.

And now, he'd been passed over for the place as the missing second Hero by Manic, his own sometimes morally challenged brother. He, who had defeated Robotnik countless times, was known to have saved the world on numerous counts, and had even wielded the magical swords Caliburn and Excalibur, becoming Sir Sonic, Knight of the Wind and successor to King Arthur.

Somehow, it didn't seem fair.

Never mind that Manic could and would steal anything he felt like taking. He was good at it – stand too close to him and he could divest you of anything he found interesting before you even saw him move. But it didn't seem to be a good hallmark of a Hero. Not after knowing Tails' an Silver's adventures.

As if on cue, a green flash deposited the silver Hedgehog, who stumbled slightly, shook his head, then sneezed.

"Well?" Sonic asked quickly.

"Give me a break Sonic, I only just got back," Silver said, sounding stuffed up. He sneezed again, gratefully taking a box of tissues Tails offered him. "Your brother is fine anyway. I can't say I care much for where he is mind, it's absolutely freezing up there – even more than the ice cavern I went to with Scourge."

"Up where? Where is he?"

"In Hyrule, of course. Look, be patient will you? He'll get back and tell his story too, let him handle it. Besides, Hyrule looked a little different to what I'm used to, probably because he came before me. I recognised the castle, but the rest of the landscape is a bit different."

"How did you find him?" Knuckles asked.

"Pure chance, as it happened," Silver confessed. "I managed to get a vague idea of where he was, but if I hadn't overheard him talking to Ezlo – that's the name of his companion – I'd have missed him entirely."

"Strange name," Tails observed, now also handing him a steaming mug. "What's he like? Ezlo I mean."

"I don't know. I couldn't see him when they were talking, and by the time I'd got him in sight there wasn't any sign of him. Manic looked like he was enjoying himself at least. I don't think you've got anything to worry about."

"Didn't you talk to him at all?" Sonic asked.

"Nope. He doesn't even know I looked in on him. Kinda wish I hadn't, it's gonna take me ages to get warm again. Ridiculously cold up there. I don't know how he's managing it."

"Should have heard me whenever I went somewhere cold," Knuckles chuckled. "Fi had trouble putting up with me."

"Your companion?" Silver asked. Knuckles just nodded. "Seems like it's a bit of a tradition for us. Midna, Navi, Tael, Fi and Ezlo..."

"Tael?"

"Oh. Right. I haven't told you about Termina yet, have I?" Silver glanced sidelong at Sonic, then went on, "Why don't I tide you over until your brother's return by telling you that story, and then if he still isn't back we can hear about Knuckles' adventures too."

* * *

Following my adventure in Hyrule I returned to the Kokiri Forest for some well-earned rest. Since the Kokiri in general believed I'd left the forest, and their future selves firmly believed the same, this meant I had to sneak in, using my mind to scan ahead late one evening to make sure no one spotted me. Saria, as the Forest Sage to be, naturally noticed this.

During the following weeks she kept the secret of my return. Normally Kokiri respect each other's privacy and won't go into someone else's house without permission, and since to them I'd left, they couldn't ask and therefore wouldn't visit my treehouse. Saria did under the pretence that I'd asked her to keep it tidy for me – which also allowed her to make sure I ate properly too.

I got the feeling she didn't entirely approve of the few belongings I'd been allowed to keep. The massive Biggoron's Sword intimidated her – she wouldn't go anywhere near it, in case it fell. Honestly I did the same, since it was a struggle to lift it even with my mind.

She found the intricate workmanship of the Silver and Golden Gauntlets to be very interesting, even if they weren't going to fit me for a long time yet, and the Ocarina of Time similarly impressive. I made a point of letting her know I still had her ocarina too though.

I was politely asked not to use the three spells in the forest – Din's Fire, Nayru's Love and Farore's Wind – as there'd be some who'd notice the magic. And also because fire in a forest... you get the idea.

There was a bit of a problem when it came to the smaller crystals that would imbue any arrow with the elements of fire, ice or light, since I no longer had a bow to prove it with and my slingshot had been among the items taken from me for the next Hero.

Beyond that, all that was left were two bottles, the Kokiri Sword and what the goddesses had called the Hero's Shield – a modified Hylian shield that was sized down to the point I could wield it normally.

And I was bored.

One of the things I've noticed about adventuring is that it comes with a hidden hook. You don't notice it until your adventure is over, then it digs in and no matter how much you think you want a vacation, it suggests you want another adventure.

There were two problems with this. First, I dared not interfere with anything that happened in Hyrule for the next seven years – to do so would be to slap myself in the face with a paradox, and believe me that is definitely not a good thing and even worse when you're trying to unravel it.

Second was that I knew there was another adventure waiting for me – in two years time. I also knew, because in my time in the future I'd been told so, I'd save the land of Termina, and that I'd start on that journey two years hence.

So after I'd enjoyed all of a week's good resting and relaxing, I let Saria know I was leaving again and went back out into Hyrule. During my adventure I'd built up a store of no small amount of rupees, allowing me to pay for anything I needed, like breakfast at a certain breakfast bar just inside Hyrule Market Town.

I still visit it on occasion, it's a good place. Just ask the guard at the entrance where he has his breakfast and he'll direct you to it. Can't get much better than that kinda recommendation.

Anyway, I made my port of call just outside the castle's grounds where the Great Fairy of Magic made her home.

"Impatient, aren't we?" she asked once I'd summoned her with Zelda's Lullaby.

"Just exercising prudence," I replied. "You know I can't do anything here, and I'll have to steer clear when the future rolls around so I don't run into myself. I need something to do, and my other adventure isn't due to happen."

"So why not make it due?" she inquired. "You are the Hero of Time, Silver. You have travelled the streams of time before you even knew you were a Hero, and now you hold the Ocarina of Time. It is said that he who holds the Ocarina of Time has the protection of the Goddess of Time, Silver. Perhaps given your own abilities, so long as you hold it she will afford you greater control over time and your passage through it."

You have no idea how right she was.

"Right, but the Door of Time is closed," I said. "I can travel time on my own terms, but two years is cutting it fine. I _can_ do it, don't get me wrong. I just prefer to have a lot longer available to make sure I arrive safely."

"And do you not believe she will aid you there?" the Great Fairy asked. She held out one hand, causing something to flash into it which was then handed to me. It turned out to be a newsletter, complete with the date. "This was written today," she told me. "Note the date – I know you still do not read Hylian well, but it should be simple enough."

Yeah, I know. I could have done something about that as well. I just never got around to it.

"How is this important?" I asked.

"Keep this with you Silver. Go outside, take out the Ocarina of Time and play the Song of Time on it – but as you do so, play each note twice. Then go into town and pick up another newsletter from the market and observe the date again. That will surely show you the way forward. And when you reach Termina... give our regards to our sisters there, Silver."

"I'll make a point of it," I promised, then followed her directions.

It took me a few attempts to play the song the way she'd described. Technically I was deliberately mis-playing it. I knew how the normal Song of Time was supposed to go, and playing the notes twice kept throwing me off.

Once I got it right though I definitely knew it. The daytime sky became darkened and wan and the surrounds started moving rapidly. People were mere blurs, birds brief streaks in the air and smaller stuff just wasn't visible. The sun and moon chased each other over the sky – time was going at a fair rate now!

But how to stop it before it took me too far? Or if I just wanted something? I recalled what the Great Fairy had said and willed this time-slip to stop, returning me to normal time – and it did. A nearby guard dropped his pike in surprise as to him, I'd appeared out of nowhere.

"Don't mind me," I told him. "I'm just your friendly passing kid. Nothing to worry about."

After my sudden appearance, he wasn't going to question that and let me pass shakily.

The kid remark was accurate too – to a point. I still had the image of a Hylian boy, and since it hadn't been designed to age even though some time had just passed in a few moments, I still looked the same. That changed later on, but I can't go spoiling my own story.

Just as the Great Fairy had suggested, I wandered back into town and picked up another newspaper. It took me a few moments of struggling with the language to find that just over four months had passed – just like that! If I could learn to control this effect to some degree, I could go as far ahead in time as I wanted. Getting back again if I missed something might be a problem, but I'd have to handle that when I needed to.

For now, I headed back to the Great Fairy. The unnerved guard pretended not to see me as I gave him an amicable nod in passing, though his armour started to rattle slightly. Who says there's no fun in being a Hero?

The Great Fairy, once called back, continued on as if nothing had happened.

"You see?" she asked. "The Goddess of Time bears you on your way, Silver. For so long as you hold that Ocarina, Time will answer to you. Now, when the time comes you must return to your forest home and venture into the Lost Woods. Do not be concerned with your route, only your destination, and they will bear you on your way. Termina awaits you, Silver."


	2. The Worst Day

I had to trust what the Great Fairy had told me. The Lost Woods had always been a mystical place that I only ever ventured into once, which technically hadn't happened yet as it was due to happen in the future. During that visit I had the benefit of listening to a phantom musician playing Saria's Song until I'd run into the old familiar annoyance of Mido, but this time I had no guide.

I also had no fairy, and that was what bothered me the most. Navi had been my companion through all of my first adventure. Her encyclopaedic knowledge of Hyrule and the monsters scattered across it had helped me more than once, and her unique ability with the same mental powers I had was even more valuable.

But Navi had asked to go her own way once we'd returned to our own time, knowing that as she was tied to me and not a Kokiri, her time was limited. She would age and eventually pass away just as I will, and wanted to spend her time her way. I could hardly say no, not after all she'd done.

Going without her didn't feel right, but it had to be done. I wandered aimlessly through the Lost Woods, knowing only that I needed to reach Termina and that the woods would, or at least should, show me the way.

The clearings were always separated by large, hollow logs that formed tunnels between them. At first these clearings were always very similar, mostly square with maybe one or two features, a collection of small rocks, one larger one, a scrubby tree, once even a hole in the ground that led to a cavern with a cow in. I don't even want to know how it got in there.

They steadily increased in size as I continued on, some wider than they were long, some long but not all that wide. A few had giant tree stumps in them. I had no sense of time, as the leafy canopy above obscured the sky letting only just enough light to see by.

And then I was in a clearing that was so immense it might as well have emerged into an entire forest. Was this Termina, or just an intermediary place? I continued on without turning, hoping I wasn't now as lost as the Woods' name.

A sense I'd picked up long before becoming a Hero soon told me that someone was watching me, and it was a sense that was heightened by the previous adventure and tempered by my mind. I warily reached out, searching the area around me. I caught two brief, momentary flashes that felt like fairies, then after them the sense of a presence so powerful that it sensed me almost before I sensed it, lashing out instantly. I was thrown against a thick tree trunk, my mental defences folding as if they weren't even there.

The presence had followed me, though only mentally at first. It pressed down physically and mentally, blocking any attempt I made to move. There was a curiosity, then I was slammed against the tree a second time and unconsciousness followed.

Of course, I never actually reach a state of true unconsciousness. My mind, even suppressed by this presence, is always active. I was aware of the physical source of the presence approaching, almost blotting out the sense of the two fairies.

I had no other senses, so I had to rely on what I could feel with my mind. I pushed tentatively against the presence, testing the waters so to speak. I got given the mental version of a slap in the face in response.

There was another sense of curiosity, a bit of exasperation and the idea that someone was having fun. The presence had a curious echo that wasn't quite the same as the main one.

_"Hero?"_ a voice sounded. _"Perhaps... Yes. I will aid you, stranger, but I can only do so much. Awaken now, Hero of Time and endeavour to retrieve your precious belonging. We will meet again."_

There was a sense of irritation and surprise, then both the presence and the echo that had spoken to me were gone. I struggled back to consciousness, along the way picking up my normal senses again. Someone was trying, inexpertly, to play an ocarina.

Precious belonging and now this... uh-oh.

I chances opening my eyes to look up. There was a strange creature, humanoid but definitely not human or Hylian, and it was wearing a curious mask. It had tucked it up above its head, so I couldn't see the design. Hovering nearby were two fairies, one glowing yellow the other a deep purple.

In the creature's hands was the Ocarina of Time. Just as I'd feared. I took care not to make a sound until I was stood up, then drew my sword and shield. The three froze as the steely hiss of metal echoed.

"Return that to me or I start cutting things," I said menacingly.

The... thing looked to the ocarina in its hand guiltily, then hid it behind its back and contrived to look innocent. Now I had a clear view of the mask – it had compelling designs in dark colours, but what I noticed more were the malevolently orange eyes. It was just a mask but the eyes gave it a disturbing appearance of life.

Given how easily the presence, whatever its source, had attacked the first time, I didn't risk my mind again. The voice had afforded me some protection from it, but I'm not stupid. I wasn't going to take any chances with it.

So instead I lunged for the creature, an attack I fully intended to miss – a warning, if you will.

The creature leapt back, knocked the mask back down and then jumped into the air, floating away at high speed with the two fairies keeping up. I bit off a few curses, then followed suit, pursing them.

Several giant trees tried to fall on me on the way, probably guided into that by the damn creature and the presence with it, but I'm more than adept at moving quickly with my mind. Every time I started to close though another tree or some other obstacle would rear up and I'd be forced to react quickly and lose a bit of ground.

Soon enough the trio vanished into a hole in a tree so vast that it rivalled even the Great Deku Tree. Without hesitation, I flew straight in after them – and hit something in the darkness inside. It completely disrupted my focus, and so I fell. The way in was already a tiny spot of light above, and the darkness concealed anything else. I tried to get my mind back in order so I could save myself, only to hit something again, landing with a crash onto something that left me with a mouth full of leaves and a distinctly planty kind of aroma. Water was soaking my hands and trying to do the same to my feet had it not been for the sturdy boots I had as part of my Hero's garb.

I ached all over. Hitting two things so hard will take it's toll on anyone, after all. This was not turning out how I'd intended. I got up, groaning in the small light to find I was on a kind of flower, much like the ones I'd seen Deku Scrubs hide in, which was in turn in a pool of somewhat murky water.

I could see little else past that because of the lack of light, but once I looked up two bright lights blasted into my eyes. I had to cover my eyes to see through the glare. I was in a mossy cavern that had only two entrances – the way up, and a wooden slab that looked as if it was a door. Maybe. The thieving trio were all hovering right in front of it.

The creature, still with the mask covering it's face, tossed the Ocarina of Time absently as it stared at me. I had the distinct impression the mask was staring at me as well.

"All this for a tiny ocarina," the creature said. "You've got another one. What do you need two for?"

"Mind your own business and give it back," I growled back. "Didn't you ever get told it's wrong to steal?"

"Like it matters. Look at you. A little boy. Do you really think you can stand against me? You didn't stand a chance before, and you don't now."

I drew my sword a second time in response.

"You're still going to fight?" it asked incredulously. "You're nuts, but you've got some guts. Can't have people thinking some upstart brat can just go around stopping the unstoppable though. I'll show you what you're really up against."

"You talk to much," I said, but it was lost to a strange crackling sound. The mask shook, a dark aura emanating from it that had blue lighting flowing through it. The two fairies backed clear of it.

I tried to move, but whatever it was doing left me rooted to the spot, incapable of action. The presence touched on my mind again, stronger this time. The echo was there too, but this time there was no voice, no protection offered.

Everything went dark as the crackling grew louder still. When my vision came back I knew what I was seeing was not real. A grassy hilltop that had no sky to it, just blackness. Every action, every move left a blurred after-image fading away. This was not real.

Over the sound of the crackling there came a leafy rustle. One, two, five, then it became impossible to count them. The grass grew the flowers of Deku Scrubs rapidly, each one turning into a Deku Scrub. These were the wild ones, with a cape of orange leaves streaming down their back, their eyes orange slits.

There was a powerful malevolent sense coming from all around as they closed in on me. I tried to act with my mind only to have nothing happened. I reached for my sword only to find it was not there.

The Scrubs surrounded me, their rustling drowning out the crackling now. In the endless carpet of Scrubs, they parted ways to allow a veritable giant of a Deku Scrub to emerge, the crowds parting around it as it approach. I could do nothing, still rooted to the spot, still defenceless, as it approached.

It stopped when it loomed over me, seeming even more of a giant up close. It glared at me from above, then it spat an incredibly large Deku Nut at me that for the second time in the day, knocked me clean out.

Fortunately it affected only this unreal world, taking me right back to the cavern. Laying around me were my belongings, the rupees spilling from the pouch that had always seemed to have infinite space inside and usually stored most things.

I felt different. As I looked up, the cavern seemed somehow larger, taller, the ground much lower. I felt the presence fade again and with it the inability to move followed.

"Now that's a good look for you!" the creature exclaimed with a barked laugh. "You'll stay here forever looking like that!"

I was almost afraid to look. The day was already bad enough, what had it done to me? I looked down, seeing thin, silver but distinctly wooden arms. My tunic had become little more than a tiny pair of green shorts, leaving a wooden body bare above short, stubby and also wooden legs. I stared into my reflection in the murky water and a Deku Scrub with a green cap stared back at me.

Yes, I know – Deku Scrubs are supposed to be a wooden brown, not silver like I was. The silver obviously was a reflection of my real colours, and it also meant something else in Deku circles – which I'll get to in due time.

There was a rumble and I looked up sharply to see the possibly-a-door had been opened, the creature and both fairies floating back through it to the log tunnel beyond. Though I wasn't even sure if what I was seeing was real or even used to it, I tried to run after them only to have the purple fairy dart back and run into me several times until I fell over. It even growled at me.

The fairy was not bigger than any other I'd encountered, but now I was a Deku Scrub – I could deny it no longer – it seemed much bigger. If it could knock me over this easily, there was no point in trying again.

Then the door slammed shut and the fairy froze again. It quickly flew back over to it, in its piping voice calling through.

"Hey, Skull Kid I'm still here! C'mon, lemme out! Don't leave me here with the leaf kid!"

"Leaf kid?" I squeaked in my new Deku voice, then stopped with renewed shock. I didn't even _sound_ like myself any more! This was really not turning out to be a good day.

"Who asked you for your opinion?" the fairy demanded ungraciously. "Get over here and open this door!"

"Why should I help you?" I retorted. "You're with that... Skull Kid who did this to me!"

"If I hadn't been busy with you, I wouldn't be stuck here with you!" he snapped back. I was sure now this was a boy fairy – the first I'd ever met.

"If he hadn't done this to me, you wouldn't have been busy with me!" I squeaked back. A Deku's voice really isn't very easy to sound irritated with. "Anyway, how am I supposed to know how to open the door? I was busy seeing what you'd done when he opened it!"

"Don't take that tone with me! Just do it!"

I decided I'd had enough, so turned my back on him and returned to my dropped belongings. They were all far too big for me to use like this. It took me some time to get them all back into the bag of holding, then when it was done I fashioned the drawstrings into a kind of strap, allowing me to carry it on my back. At least I hadn't lost anything else. Just the Ocarina of Time, my form and my patience.

There wasn't anything else I could do though, and if I wanted any chance of restoration I'd have to follow the Skull Kid, so I went to the door and was quickly joined by the fairy.

"I'm not doing this because_ you_ want me to," I told him firmly. "Just because it's the only thing I can do."

"Whatever. Just open it."

"Are you kidding me? A massive door like this? I couldn't shift this except with my mind."

"Well, whatever that means, do it will you? We'll never catch up with him at this rate."

I tried to reach out with my mind – and stopped. Whatever had turned me into a Deku Scrub had left me bereft of my mind as well.

"Alright you... fairy," I said peevishly. "What he did has locked me out of my own damn mind, so you just tell me how he opened it and we can both be on our way. Why you want to keep company with him is beyond me, but since you want it..." I trailed off.

"You hopeless bit of firewood!" the fairy said in exasperation. "Anyone can see that hanging root up there is the switch! Just hop into the flower there like any Deku Scrub and grab the stalks inside."

I stared at him. "You said _what?_ Just what is that supposed to do?"

"Just do it, Deku boy! Stop arguing with me!"

"The name is Silver!" I snapped at him, but since I had nothing else to do, I had to follow his directions. I had no idea what he'd meant by hopping into the flower until I poked at the middle of the bud and, to my instant surprise, it actually sucked me in. It was dark inside, but being a Deku Scrub seemed to give me at least some better sight in the dark, and I could see the two stalks the fairy had mentioned.

I was not at all prepared for what happened next. As I grabbed hold, the flower spat me back out and sent me high into the air, where the two stalks burst into bloom as large flowers that began to spin and allowed me to hover in the air. I leaned forward, and I started to fly forward.

And of course due to inexperience, I triggered the root with the third collision of the day. Fortunately it was a lesser collision and the flowers allowed me to descend to the ground safely, still with enough time to go through before the door closed where, oddly enough, the fairy had waited for me.

"I'm not staying with you because I want to," it told me severely. "Just... you can do things like that which I can't. You can help me get back to Skull Kid, and since you obviously want to see him yourself, you're coming with me."

"You mean you're coming with me but don't want to put it that way because it makes it sound like I'm the one in control," I grumbled, coming out as a creak. "At the very least you can use my name instead of calling me Deku boy."

"Whatever. I'll call you what I want, Deku boy. You can call me Tael."

"Well if you're not gonna use my name, I'm certainly not gonna use yours, fairy boy," I responded.

With that said and done we both headed down the log tunnel as enemies working together, if not wary friends.


	3. A Matter of Time

Strangely enough, even though Tael and I did not get along at all, I felt better for travelling with someone. He wasn't Navi by any stretch of the imagination, but he helped ward off the loneliness I'd keenly felt since she'd left.

He hovered ahead of me, appearing to lead the way – not that he needed it. The log tunnel turned and twisted but only ever had one route to it, eventually opening into a cavern so vast that both ceiling and floor was lost to the darkness. Tall stone pillars reached out of sight both ways, and several more reached only part way, mossed over but with more of the Deku flowers over them.

While they continued the single route, there was no way I was going to cross this chasm without having to use the flowers, and after my first flight I wasn't exactly filled with confidence. It had to be done though, so I ducked into the nearest flower and used the stalks to fly unsteadily over to the nearest one with Tael flying ahead but always staying in sight.

I started to gain some more skill with flying, even straightening out my flight and taking several turns to weave through the pillars as I needed. Along the way I found a small chest that gave me a fresh stock of Deku Nuts. I paused there with a curiosity forming – other Deku Scrubs spat these out of their mouths as an attack. I wondered if I could do the same, looking ahead to where Tael was waiting.

"Don't even think about it!" he told me, evidently picking up on my idea from the nuts in my hand. I stowed them awkwardly into the bag, happy in the knowledge that thanks to the way my face now looked, Tael wouldn't be able to tell I was trying to grin. Maybe a bad day was starting to look up.

A few more flower flights took me to a mossy crag that had another log tunnel leading away, and also a curious looking plant that looked like a Deku Scrub. Tael and I paused to examine it.

It was taller than I was, and also had the normal wooden brown as opposed to my silver, but it had a distinctly Deku appearance about it. There was no life in the eyes though and no leaves on it. It's expression was twisted into what could have been despair.

Tael eventually ventured his opinion. "It looks... kinda like you actually," he said in a more subdued voice. "Maybe he wandered in here and got lost or... I dunno."

"Well we'd better keep moving then," I told him. "Otherwise we'll never catch up with Skull Kid and I'll end up keeping him company. Who knows, maybe you'll do the same thing if you decide to keep irritating me."

"You wish!" Tael snorted. Ah, back to his usual self already. "Move on, Deku boy. We're almost at the basement."

"Basement?" I demanded, heading down the log tunnel. "What basement?"

"Don't you know anything about Termina?"

"Of course not, I'm from-" I paused only momentarily, finishing with, "Hyrule."

"Never heard of it. Listen Deku boy, there's a door in the bottom of the Clock Tower that's also the other end of this tunnel. It's the way into the Lost Woods, the place where we found you. They lead to all places sooner or later, but they're also dangerous."

"What were you three doing there then, if it's so dangerous?"

"Mind your own business and move, Deku boy!"

I muttered – or rather creaked, in this form – a few half-hearted complaints to cover the raised spirits that simple explanation had given me. I had at least reached the right place.

The tunnel gave way from wood to stone, looking like one of the twisted corridors from the Forest Temple. It even twisted, not just part way round but all the way round until we at last emerged into a stone basement. The doors of the Lost Woods closed behind me, but that was the least of my worries.

It was definitely a basement. A river flowed through, driving a large water-wheel ahead. The area was cordoned off with a rope tied between pillars, though as a Deku Scrub it would have been a small matter to duck under them. Some decidedly rickety looking stairs led further upwards, where past the splashing came more creaking and a regular clunk that you could keep time by. And did, as I soon learned.

"The Clock Tower you mentioned?" I asked Tael as I climbed awkwardly up the steps. Stairs were one of many inconveniences I had to put up with as a Deku Scrub.

"Yeah. It's the centre of Clock Town. You've got the main Termina Fields surrounding it, and the various other lands around it. No point in telling you about that, not only will Skull Kid probably be in town but the guards won't let a little kid like you out. Not without an adult, anyway."

"Cross that bridge when we come to it," I decided. "If we come to it. If you're right, we won't have any reason to leave town. _If_ you're right."

"Look, who knows Skull Kid better, huh?" Tael demanded. "He'll be here. Tatl will persuade him to wait. Or she'll try, at least. My sis isn't really the kind to confront people, but she's got her ways too."

I turned at the top of the stairs, passing the turning shaft that reached even further up, causing the clunks of the clocks that gave the tower its name and heading for the double doors that were framed with daylight.

Again my senses told me someone was watching me. Tael must have sensed it to, because as I turned, he hid behind me.

"You've met with a terrible fate, haven't you?" someone asked.

"Who's there?" I called out.

A ghostly chuckle answered, then appearing in an instant out of nowhere – and I don't mean he walked out of shadows or something, he actually just suddenly appeared – was a tall Hylian with a giant backpack that had masks tied on to every bit of free space.

"Oh, no," Tael whispered, hiding even further behind me. "Not him."

"What's with you?" I creaked back, but Tael refused to answer.

"I own the Happy Mask Shop," the stranger said with a similarly happy grin pasted over his face. "Perhaps also having come from Hyrule, you know of it? But no matter, I have close up shop of late to travel far and wide in search of masks, both mundane and filled with power."

"Then... do you know about the mask that did this to me?" I asked hopefully.

"Oh indeed... for the very mask was stolen from me by an imp in the woods."

"Imp!" Tael whispered indignantly. The Happy Mask Man appeared not to notice.

"So here I am," he went on. "At a loss. And now I have found you. You surely have the bearing of a Hero about you even in this altered form. Now don't think me rude, but I have been following you."

"Stalker," Tael remarked. I was grateful my expression could not change much, otherwise it would have been hard not to smile. Tael might not like me, but his remarks were lightening the mood.

"Why follow me?" I asked, suspecting I knew the answer. I retrieve his mask for him, he makes it undo the curse on me.

"Because I believe I know how to restore your form, of course," he replied. Score one for Silver. "If you can retrieve your precious belonging... that which was stolen from you... I will return you to normal."

Not the mask, then. But...

"All I ask in return," he went on. "Is that you retrieve the precious mask that imp stole from me."

Yep. There you have it.

"I don't know if you've noticed, but the last time I got near that mask, this happened to me," I told him.

"And what an improvement it was," Tael added quietly.

The Mask Man was surprised – just as suddenly as he'd been there, he was no longer leaning over with clasped hands but suddenly stood tall with his arms spread wide. There was no intermediate state, he just changed from one state to the other without bothering to go through them.

"What?" he asked. "Is it not a simple task? Why, to someone like you it should be by no means a difficult task. Except... there is one thing."

He flicked back to leaning over again as I asked, "What's that?"

"I'm a very busy fellow, Silver," he said. "And I must leave this place in three days. How grateful I would be if you could bring it back to me before my time here is up. But yes," he said, flicking back to wide arms once more. "You'll be fine. I see you are filled with courage and experience. I will be waiting here for you, Silver. I'm sure you will find it right away."

And then as suddenly as he'd appeared, he was gone again.

"Lazy bum," Tael accused. "If he's got all those masks, how come he doesn't use them himself?"

"He's a collector, probably," I answered. "Collectors don't like to use their collections, just admire them or something, I dunno. Why were you hiding from..." I trailed off. "Wait. That Skull Kid... he's the imp he talked about, isn't he?"

"It... seemed like such a harmless thing at the time," Tael squirmed. "Just one mask. What harm could it do? Skull Kid picked it out, he said he felt it calling to him... then... stuff just... happened."

"Stuff?" I asked slowly. "What kind of stuff?"

"Um... well... don't look up when you go outside," he said in a small voice. "I know you will, but just... don't think badly of me. It was the mask that did it. Skull Kid can't help himself, he's not used to power."

I stared at him for a few moments, wondering just what I'd let myself in for. I'd known I'd have an adventure, but naturally no one was going to tell me anything about it – just in case of a paradox. About the only thing I knew was that the future said I'd succeed. It didn't say how, or how long it took – though three days! How was I supposed to do everything in three days?

Since Tael couldn't, I shoved one of the doors open and stepped out into the bright sunlight, taking my first steps in Clock Town. Sounds of construction came to me as workers brought wood from some stockpile out of sight for a structure they were building ahead. Various market stalls were arranged around the outside of just this first area, and though they had nothing on Hyrule Market, they were still fairly busy. People were bustling about everywhere.

Then I looked up.

"Good gods Tael, you did _that?!_" I exclaimed, hardly believing my eyes. There was a giant moon in the sky that was definitely far too close. More disturbingly, it had a face on it that was baring teeth and had eyes exactly like those of the mask the Skull Kid had worn.

"No! I told you, it was the mask! Skull Kid couldn't control it!"

"Why didn't you go tell someone?"

"The only ones we could tell were the four Giants, the guardians of the four lands outside of Clock Town," Tael explained, talking rapidly. "The Swamp, the Mountain, the Ocean and the Canyon. But when we tried to get Skull Kid to go talk to them, the mask overpowered him again and sealed them away. We couldn't stop him, Silver!"

"Why did you even stay with him after that?"

"Well... he's our friend. We couldn't just abandon him. We thought if we stayed with him we could... convince him to undo it. But the mask held firm, it wouldn't let him. It'd help him do what he wanted as long as it agreed, but... he couldn't beat it."

I sighed, getting a handle on my still very short temper with a deep breath. "Alright. I think I can see what's going on here. I'm a Hero, even if I don't look like one right now, and this is a land in peril. Two and two. Since you evidently want something done about that, you can help me – don't object," I said, seeing Tael about to say something. "Just listen. I don't know Termina, and I likely don't know the local monster life, but you do, at least better than me. I probably have to do something about that damn moon if I want to get his mask, and I have to get his mask anyway to get my own form back, so everything happily coincides. You help me, I'll help you. Deal?"

"Don't think this means I like you, Deku boy," Tael said by way of agreement.

"That's alright, it doesn't mean I like you either, Fairy boy. Now, we're in Clock Town, it's busy and there's a moon falling. What's our first move?"

"Well it's busy because it's time for the Carnival of Time," Tael explained. "Always is. Well. Busier, actually, but the moon has kinda put some people off. It's still busier than it usually is, but-"

"You're babbling, Tael. I need to know what to do. Is there a Great Fairy anywhere around? I've got to pay them a visit anyway, their sisters in Hyrule asked me to give them their regards."

"North Clock Town," Tael answered. "Behind you. You might be right. She'll know what to do, or at least know where we can go and who to talk to. Turn left or right and just go around the Clock Tower, there's a street that leads to that part of town right behind it."

Well, it was a start. Still, only three days... and how long would that moon take to fall?


	4. Child's Play

Clock Town, I quickly discovered, was not a good place for a young Deku Scrub, let alone one still trying to find his own little wooden feet. Despite Tael's insistence that the moon had chased off most of the usual crowds, it was still fairly busy and as I was small enough that most people never even noticed me, I was obliged to run through a sea of legs and feet and try not to get kicked around or tripped over.

Were I still in my own form, even looking like a Hylian, things would have been made worse by Clock Town's many narrow alleyways and streets, made narrower in places by enterprising merchants and their stalls. Here at least I had the advantage, I could dodge and weave through the legs where they were all still trying to push through each other.

Tael took cover in my cap, similar to Navi, so we didn't get separated along the way, but still paid attention to what he heard. I ignored it mostly as I concentrated on making my way to the north end of town.

"I guess it's busier than I thought," he reported. "From what I'm hearing, the inns are still all booked up. Mind you, normally those from other lands come here too, they just stay home until the carnival."

"Other lands?" I asked. "Those four you mentioned earlier?"

"Three of them at least," he answered. "You don't want anyone to come from Ikana Canyon, since the only... people who live there are, well, dead. I'm not going there if I can possibly help it."

"Guess again, fairy boy. You said one of those giants are there, that means we've got to go there."

"You never said- ah, whatever. At least I'll be able to keep you from get scared."

"Me? Dream on! I've been into a Temple infested with restless dead and even fought a dark being calling itself Bongo-Bongo. Your canyon doesn't have anything to frighten me. What about the other lands?"

"To the south there's the swamp. Mostly inhabited by Deku Scrubs, so you should fit right in among your new family. North are the Snowhead Gorons, west is the Great Bay where you'll eventually find Zoras - if they want to be found, that is. East is Ikana Canyon. What now?" he demanded at the sound of my renewed grumbling.

"When I get my own form back and come through here next I'm going to make people _very_ sorry about this," I replied. A crowd ahead was so thick there was no way I was going to be able to get through. "Or maybe sooner," I added, reaching into the bag, more like a sack while I was this small, and took out three Deku Nuts.

"You really think that's going to make a difference, Deku boy?" Tael asked, emerging to find out what was going on.

"Depends on where I aim," I answered, putting one in my mouth. This was the first time I'd actually done anything like this, but the theory was relatively sound and I had to practice on something, somewhere, didn't I?

I didn't aim for the crowd or the soon to be unfortunate Goron merchant manning the stall. I aimed for the top of the stand where wooden posts were hanging out of the wall to act as a shade. They already wobbled in the air currents, showing they were loose. All I had to do was nudge them along a bit.

I resisted the urge to swear at a passing Hylian – or Terminian here in Termina for all I know – that jostled me, knowing if I tried to say anything right now I'd spit out the nut. Once I'd got my aim again I spit the nut at the top of the stall, taking the second nut already. I'd aimed too low, but that was all I needed.

The second one was too high, but thankfully dropped down and knocked the farther support. The whole thing slipped slightly. My third nut hit the nearest one, causing it to slip out entirely.

It missed most of the people, and those it did only really ended up with a few bruises probably, but it did disperse them and let me through.

"Nice shooting," Tael remarked reluctantly. "Where'd you learn to do that?"

"Seen other Deku Scrubs do it before," I replied. "You don't watch without picking up something, after all. I just never thought I'd need it until now."

I breathed a sigh of relief as we emerged into the gardens around the north gate of Clock Town where it was thankfully quieter. Here there was a little boy not much bigger than myself trying to shoot down a balloon with a blow-gun, closer to the gate a man in green disturbingly similar to my own normal clothes that was hanging _from_ a balloon and drawing something, and... well, not much else. I classed the gate guard under 'furniture' mainly because aside from watching the few people coming and going, he didn't really do anything.

There were some Deku children – at least I think they were children, they looked about the same size as me – playing with some Hylian ones in a small park off to one side of the gate, either chasing each other or playing on the slide. One Deku spotted me and squeaked excitedly to another nearby, the squeaks travelling in a chain until they were all gathered watching me try not to feel uncomfortable at the sudden centre of attention – at least Deku attention. The other children looked at them in puzzlement, apparently unable to see whatever they had, then carried on their games without the Deku Scrubs.

"What's with them?" Tael echoed my thoughts. "It's like they've never seen a Scrub like you before. Mind you, you look different, so that's probably it. They'll be all picking on you for sticking out like that."

"Oh be quiet," I told him. "I don't think they'd bully me, not the way they're looking. Where's this Great Fairy, Fairy boy?"

"I wish you'd stop calling me that," Tael said absently. "Over there – the marble entrance in the wall. We respect our Great Fairies well over here you know."

"Trying to imply we don't in Hyrule? They keep more to themselves, but maybe that's just how we respect them."

"Whatever you say, Deku boy. Better get moving before those Scrubs decide to put you in a museum or something."

It's hard to go about your business without bothering anyone when there's a bunch of over-excited Deku Scrubs watching with great interest, but somehow I managed to pretend I didn't have all those eyes on me and picked my way up the blessedly shallow steps that lead to the Great Fairy's Fountain.

Tael was right about one thing – the people of Termina do pay great respect to their fairies. They don't keep to themselves as much as the Hylian ones do. Not only did this one have the imposing marble archway, it continued inside. The fountain was a shallow basin with a ring of similar white marble pillars arranged in a ring around it, each one topped with an ornately carved cherub.

There was no Triforce symbol marking where to stand and play Zelda's Lullaby to summon them either, but this was unnecessary, as the Great Fairy was already in the fountain... mostly.

Instead of the Great Fairies I was used to, there were a flock of strange creatures, all orange glowing little creatures with big heads that seemed to be flying on thin rabbit-like ears.

One flew out and hovered around us, and a tiny voice said, "Hero of the changed form, you must help me! The mask the Skull Kid wears placed a curse upon me, shattering my body into these many stray Fairies. All but one have made their way back here, but I cannot break the curse and become whole again without that one! Please find that missing stray fairy, Hero!"

I sighed. "Nothing is ever this simple at first, is it? Always forever having to do this so I can do that, and in turn do the other thing just to get a simple question answered. Come on, Fairy boy. We've got a stray fairy to find."

"I'm starting to think Tatl and I should have stopped him stealing that mask," Tael mused on the way out. "It's been nothing but trouble. And you're not much better you know."

"Oh, thanks so much," I grumbled sarcastically, then spotted the Deku Scrubs still watching. "Alright, I've had enough of this. Go fly over there fairy boy and find out what they find so interesting about me, will you? I'm going to ask about and see if anyone knows where to find this stray fairy."

Tael looked for a moment like he'd give some snippy response, then thought better and flew off. I headed for the guard, who as this was a quieter area quickly moved to bar me off.

"Can't let you out without your parents, kid," he told me.

"Parents!" I objected. "Who do you-" I stopped myself and tried again. "I'm not trying to leave, I just want to ask you something. Have you seen a kind of... orange fairy like thing, flying on big rabbit-like wings? Or heard anyone mention it?"

"Can't say I have. Ask my colleagues at the other gates maybe, or the postman – if you can get him to stop long enough. That your fairy there?" he asked, jerking one hand toward Tael, who was still talking to the Scrubs. They were now jumping up and down, or some of them were.

"Yeah, he and I are together. He's..." I thought for a moment, then thought why not? "He's keeping an eye on me for my parents while they're out of town, and being helpful besides."

"Shouldn't think you need one, being a Silverwood Scrub," he remarked. "Still, least someone's keeping you out of trouble. Move along now."

"A Silverwood Scrub?" I murmured to myself, wandering away. Tael joined me as I headed for a street heading east. "What did they say?"

"Something about being a Silverwood Scrub," he answered.

"Funny, the guard said the same thing. I wonder what's so special about them? Us," I corrected quickly.

"Well them kids reckon you're magic or something. I don't see anything magical about you though, Deku boy."

"Just you wait," I told him. "If I get my own form back I'll show you stuff so damn amazing you won't believe it's not magic. And if I find a way to get my powers back while still stuck like this, you won't even have to wait that long."

"Yeah, yeah, all talk and no bite," Tael dismissed it. "What now?"

"The guard suggested I talk to the other gate guards. It's a start at least. Just wish I could read Hylian better, or I'd use these signs."

"Mayor's Residence," Tael said absently. "Can't you read?"

"I can, just not very well, alright?" I said peevishly. The further east I went the busier it seemed to become again. I found one side path that led up to the top of a house Tael told me was the Milk Bar, which gave a commanding view of the area around. It was still fairly busy here, though it looked like I'd be able to get around without having to resort to underhanded ideas again.

After pestering Tael to read out some more signs I gathered this was a kind of arcade area. Each building, except for the Milk Bar and Stock Pot Inn, housed some kind of game, and most had queues that led outside.

On the far side between a larger building shaped like a giant chest and the inn, there was a small garden that, out of place among the other flowers, contained what I'd come to know as a Deku flower – one I could use to fly with. Exactly opposite it was the east gate, so I picked my way down. This time the guard didn't notice me.

"Hey mister!" I called up, playing on the idea that he'd probably also think I was just a kid. "Seen any orange fairy thing flying around?"

The guard looked around for the source of the voice, but didn't look down. Tael floated up in front of him.

"Oi, you," he said. I winced. I hadn't exactly been diplomatic, but that pushed it too far. "Deku boy down there is talking to you."

The guard looked down.

"Yeah, that's right! Should look down once in a while! So? Have you seen one?"

"One?" he asked. "One... what?"

"An orange flying fairy thing," I repeated impatiently. "C'mon, have you seen one, heard about it? Where is it?"

Persuaded by the childish display I'd put on, he looked back up to Tael, looked back down, and hesitantly answered, "There was one last night. I saw it just as I was going off duty. The night watchman said it hovers around here at night, but goes off toward the south of the town when day breaks. Maybe you should ask the guard at the south gate if he knows more."

"Thanks, mister," I said, turning to leave. "Don't forget to look down next time!" I called. Tael flew to join me. "I could get to enjoy doing that to people," I confided to him. "That was kind of fun."

"What, acting like a child?"

"Hey, it worked didn't it? If we keep up like this, we'll find that stray fairy in no time. Only problem is that it means braving the crowds of the southern part of town."

"Follow me," Tael sighed. "I _do_ know this town, after all. Should have asked me before you decided to get lost."

"If I had a tongue to stick out at you, I would," I told him, following his lead. "I'm a Hero, I never get lost. I just... temporarily misplace everywhere else."

"Yeah, that means you got lost. C'mon, the next gate isn't far from here."

"Watch where you're going!" I snapped at a passing workman, who like the guard looked everywhere but down. "Over here, clumsy! Or don't you care you nearly kicked a Silverwood Scrub!"

The workman noticed, stumbling back slightly. "Sorry little fellow, I didn't see you there," he apologised, but seemed more puzzled than sorry.

"I guess it only works on Deku Scrubs," I said afterwards.

"You don't say? Only that one guard you talked to seems to know anything about them otherwise. Over to you, little kid," he added as we arrived at the next guard.

Once again I put up my childish act, this time banging on the guard's spear and calling up, "Hey, you! Betcha don't know anything about a flying orange fairy thing!"

"What's it to you if I have?" the guard replied, unfazed by this, or me.

"I bet you first, you gotta answer."

"If you're old enough to be betting, you've got to bet something," he told me.

"Sure! I bet that you don't know nothing about no fairy."

"But what are you going to bet?"

"I just told you!" I insisted. "I bet you don't know."

"That's not how a bet works, kid. You bet something, and I bet something, and if you're right, you win it back plus what I bet. If I win, I get it instead."

I pretended to think about it, then came up with an ultimately and appropriately childish solution.

"A'kay," I said and appeared to grasp something invisible. "I bet my invisible friend here. He's a magic hedgehog called Silver that can do magical stuff, like turn invisible. What do you bet?"

Tael tried not to laugh.

"Hm, that's a tough bet to meet," the guard said thoughtfully. "I suppose I'd have to bet the only thing I can." He reached into his breastplate, taking out a small pouch and took out two red rupees – worth twenty each, for those who can never tell them apart. "Bet you don't get this much in pocket money, huh kid?"

Never mind that I had way more than he did stashed in my bag – adventuring pays off, after all. I had to keep up my act all the same, so put on the appearance of agreement, if not stunned surprise.

"More'n enough!" I agreed quickly. I don't know how much they get as a wage, but it was his choice, after all.

"Alright then kid. The bet was that I don't know about any fairy. Now I don't know about you, but I certainly don't know anything about it, especially not that it comes down from the east gate in the morning and goes off up there to the laundry pool, then goes back again in the evenings. And since I don't know that, that means you win," he said, handing me the two rupees. "Don't spend them at all once, little guy."

"Thanks mister! You're a real good guy, you know that?"

"I know. Run along now. People don't look down often here, and you don't want them to trip over you, do you?"

"That's for sure," I said, following his directions as I tucked the rupees away in the bag. "Profit as well," I remarked once out of earshot. "Sweet!"

"You're actually enjoying this, aren't you?" Tael demanded suspiciously.

"Hey, it's not everyday you get to act like a kid without people thinking you're weird. I mean, can you really see that working if I still looked – looked like the boy you saw before?"

"No. Why did you hesitate just then, Silver?" he asked.

"Oh... it doesn't matter," I covered quickly. "I don't think there'll come a time where you'll see the reason."

Dead wrong on that score, as it turned out.


	5. Very Fairy

The laundry pool was not actually being used for laundry as such when I paid a visit. It was actually more than just a pool, as a stream of surprisingly crystal-clear water ran through. Lines ran above, tied around a tree and to various hooks in the wall, all currently devoid of laundry.

While it's not significant right now, and I didn't pay much attention to it at the time, there was one lone frog sat in the shade of the tree right beside the stream. I didn't really think much of this then, since I was more concerned with the stray fairy hovering above the stream. Which was just wide enough that I wasn't going to be able to reach.

"Just hop over," Tael told me without prompting.

"And how am I supposed to get out when I sink? I don't think I can swim like this, you realize."

"You're a Deku Scrub," he said with exaggerated patience. "And Deku Scrubs have this astonishing ability to hop over the water's surface. Don't try and do it too many times, because you'll only go so far before you run out of, I dunno, movement. Maybe you can do it more or not because you're one of these Silverwood Scrubs, I dunno. Now just try it Deku boy."

"If I end up under there with no one around-"

"Oh, shut up," he cut me off. "Just do as I tell you. I wasn't wrong with the flowers, was I?" he went on when I just stared. After that I gave up instead.

Since I wasn't entirely confident in this supposed Deku power, I made sure I had a good run up – not that you can run all that quick with stubby little legs, but I did what I could and took a running jump on to the water's surface in the right general direction.

Tael hadn't told me anything about what should happen next, so I guessed and, well, hopped. It's not hopping as such though – we actually skim off the surface from one foot to the other. Unsteadily in my case, but I did so, snagging the surprised fairy by the simple expedient of colliding with it and bearing it with me. It took two hops to reach it, catching it at the height of the third, and then two more to reach a narrow path on the opposite side of the stream.

"Told you so," Tael said smugly.

"Don't rub it in, will you?" I grumbled. "Stop struggling, will you? Your... I don't know, other parts?" I guessed, not really knowing how to refer to them. "They're waiting for you at your fountain so you can become whole again. Now are you going to come with me, or do I have to carry you?"

The stray fairy went from surprise to gratefulness as I talked, then in a voice even smaller than the one at the fountain answered, "Will follow. Lead the way, Hero."

Now I had two fairies. The stray fairy hovering just behind my left shoulder, Tael above my right, continuing to give me directions through the throng when I headed back into central Clock Town – which reached all the way to the south gate, making it locally known as South Clock Town. Whatever works, I guess.

Along the way Tael noted that there was a strange looking Deku Flower that people seemed to avoid.

"Maybe you can use it, Deku boy," he suggested. "Flying should get us over the crowds."

"If it works like a normal one," I put in, looking at it as I ducked behind a market stall. Unlike the more flower-like ones I'd seen before, this one was not only larger but more yellow. It looked more like an oversized weed than a plant.

As I neared it however, a Deku voice called out, "Hey you, wait! The Deku Scrub! Yeah, you – hold it right there!" I looked around and saw, flying over the south gate on his own power, no need for the flowers like me, a rather rotund Deku Scrub carrying two sacks.

"Uh-oh," I murmured. "Are we in trouble?"

"He just sounds bothered, that's all," Tael said. "Maybe you're on his patch – or maybe he wants to sell you something, that looks like a Business Scrub."

"I see they're here too. I wonder if they're overcharging scoundrels like the ones over in Hyrule?"

Tael didn't answer in case the Business Scrub overheard. He landed on the flower and sunk down into it in one movement, then re-emerged without the sacks and produced a fez from somewhere that covered the tiny leaves on his head he'd somehow been using to fly on.

"Sorry," he apologised. "Had to run an errand out of town. This here is my property – I have title deeds and all, you know. Say, aren't you-"

"A Silverwood Scrub, yes," I said making some show of being weary about it. Well, I guessed that most such Scrubs would have to put up with this often, given how the Deku children had reacted. "Didn't mean to trespass – I was just passing through, trying to get free of those crowds."

"I know how that goes," he agreed. "Used to have to put up with it myself. But anyway – business is business, after all – can I interest you in some Deku Nuts, young master?"

"Thanks, but I'm good for them right now."

"Just hoping. Though just between you and me," he said, dropping his squeak to a quieter one. "I wouldn't mention this to anyone but a Scrub, but I've heard that sometimes a Moon's Tear drops around here – it's said to be a jewel that outshines any other in the land you know. If I could get my hands on one... well, if you wouldn't mind... keep an ear out? I can't leave this unattended, of course..."

"I'll see what I hear," I promised. "I don't suppose you'd let me borrow your flower just once? I could pay, if that's what's bothering you?"

The Scrub considered it, then answered, "Special rate for you – just ten rupees. Normally if I'd even consider it it'd be much more, of course. Much obliged," he added as I handed him the rupees. The flower worked pretty much like any other, though it was much more spacious underneath and when it spat me out I shot up much higher than normal flowers. "Come again!" the Scrub called after me.

"Maybe this Silverwood Scrub thing is more useful than I thought," I remarked to Tael as I steered myself toward the north gate. The residents and visitors below paid me little attention, though the Deku children before had spotted me in the air even from this distance and were stopping once again.

"I dunno, I know this was my idea but I can't see it being much use you know," Tael replied. "Besides for this, and if you have to pay every time..."

"Don't worry about that – being a Hero pays off, at least in Hyrule. I've got quite a lot saved up."

"Might want to store some in the Bank of Termina then. They've got a stall down on the street by the west gate, and I hear there are branches opening in the swamp, Snowhead and Great Bay. Who knows, maybe even in the Canyon."

"If we ever need something to do, remind me to pay them a visit then," I decided, flying over the now repaired stall canopy I'd shot down earlier. These flowers lasted much longer than the normal flowers too, I noted. I managed to make it all the way to the north gate, where I hovered waiting for the flowers to drop me safely to the ground.

While I was up there, I flew over to the strange man in green, who looked up as I approached.

"Oh! Green clothes and not one but two fairies?" he exclaimed. "Young sir, are you by any chance a fairy yourself?"

"Uh, I-"

"Yes, yes, I thought so!" he carried on regardless. "My name is Tingle, and I tell you I am just like you sir, just like you! At thirty-five and with no fairy, my father tells me to grow up, but I say I just have to wait a bit longer for my fairy to come! Isn't that right mister fairy?"

"Well, I-"

"Exactly what I thought! Here, mister fairy," he said, reaching into one pocket. "A map of the town, just for you! I go all over and make maps to sell, but as we're friends, this one is free for you!" He paused then appeared to realise my situation. "Ah. Well when you land if you'd just shoot me down by popping the balloon, I'll hand it to you in just a moment, of course."

"Right. Won't be a few moments," I told him, actually managing an entire sentence this time. The flowers were already, at last, starting to drop me down.

"The guy's a nutcase," Tael remarked. "Thirty five and he thinks he's a fairy? I bet his father's ashamed of him."

"Wouldn't surprise me, but hey – he makes maps, and I don't know my way around," I replied, taking out another Deku Nut. "Not that I don't trust you, but do you really know your way around outside Clock Town?"

"Of course! Well... maybe not that well. But what are you going to do if you can't read it? You did say you couldn't."

"I said I had trouble reading it," I told him irritably. "Not that I couldn't. Anyway, you read it, so you can read it for me. Now hush and let me get this right, I don't want to hit him instead."

"I don't know about that. Aim for his head, it might knock some sense into him."

I shared the sentiment in a way, but like I'd said, Tingle was useful. Even if he was absolutely bonkers. Having had practice earlier it wasn't hard to shoot him down, and as he plummeted, somehow landing safely, I glanced over to the boy I'd seen earlier, who paid no attention at all. He was still trying to shoot down his balloon with the little pea-shooter. Maybe I'd show him how it was done as well.

Tingle meanwhile handed the map over, then did a little jig on the spot, threw out confetti he got from who knows where and, as if to reinforce how mentally unhinged he was, exclaimed, "Tingle, Tingle, Koolo, Limpah! These are Tingle's magic words he made himself – don't steal them!"

I didn't trust myself to answer that, leaving him to blow up a new balloon as I left.

"If his maps are as bad as his 'magic words' we're in trouble," Tael muttered.

"See for yourself then," I said, unrolling the map. To my eternal relief the lunatic appeared to share my preference for simplified Hylian, which I could read perfectly. Which I didn't tell Tael – he needed something to feel superior about, after all.

"There's a few things missing," he said, then grudgingly admitted, "But it's pretty accurate. I suppose we can trust his maps, if not him."

"I'd rather not if it's all the same to you. I've met a power-hungry egomaniac that had more sanity than he did. Here we are little fairy, your fountain."

The stray fairy immediately flew back to join the others, who gathered together, weaving between each other in an ever-tightening sphere, then there was a flash of light, that typical screamed laugh they all appeared with, and the typically scandalously clad giant fairy lady lounged in the air. She looked marginally better than her Hylian sisters, but not by much. Human, or at least Hylian, adult males probably went wild at the thought. Maybe that's why they kept to themselves in Hyrule.

Anyway.

"Thank you, young Silver," she greeted me gratefully. "The mask the Skull Kid wears shattered me, but now my broken body is restored. Allow me to lift the bar it imposed upon your mind by means of thanks."

She leaned forward, palms extended. From the roof of her fountain a pair of pale yellow lights twirled down in a column around me. As it touched the floor I was lifted up briefly and then to my relief once again, my mind came rushing back. No longer was I just a powerless little Scrub, now the Deku, and others too, would see just what this Silverwood Scrub was capable of!

The lights faded, settling me gently back to my feet, while Tael hovered expectantly nearby.

"I'll explain outside in a moment," I told him, then to the Great Fairy, "Thank you. Believe me, you couldn't have done anything I needed more. Oh, before I forget – your sisters in Hyrule send their regards."

"We know," she replied. "They sent word a few years ago telling us about you. Now then. You've got some tasks left to do, but only a few you can do right now. I suggest you pay a visit to the Observatory next, to see if you can see the Skull Kid. Termina Field is unsafe for you right now, so use the underground route instead. Little Tael there will know where to find the entrance. Do come see me again when you've regained your original form – though if you have travelled time before then, you will have to restore me again. Simply bring me the Ocarina of Time, and one touch will allow me to remain whole as you cross time, time and again."

I blinked. The Termina Great Fairies had a distinctly no-nonsense, direct and refreshing approach that wasn't at all like the more elaborately spoken Hylian ones.

"Thank you... I think. I'll try to remember all that."

"You're quite welcome, Silver. Now go on. I will always be here. Except when I'm not, but I should be here as well. Do go, Silver, I don't have to vanish like my sisters."


	6. Bomber's Code

Almost as soon as I was back outside, Tael started making a pest of himself – understandably so.

"Alright Deku boy, you said you'd explain outside, so start talking. You kept mentioning your mind before, now she's done something for it, hasn't she? What'd she do? What can you do?"

I gave him a few moments before answering, "Done yet? It's quite simple. I call it psychokinesis – the ability to do with my mind what others do with their backs. It's not magic, though it comes from the same source."

"Really? That's it? It doesn't sound all that useful. I mean, what's the point of it, huh? Sounds like being just plain lazy if you ask me."

"Maybe it is," I shrugged, glancing to the playing Deku Scrubs. Several still watched me, which was what I wanted. I deliberately started to walk ahead, ignoring the fact that the path weaved down on a slope and that I was about to walk out over it – apparently. "It does come in useful though," I went on, appearing to ignore this fact as I started to nudge my mind back into action once more.

Alright, yes, I was showing off again. Every once in a while I get this urge to impress, and with Tael on my case trying to shoot down my signature skill, this was no exception.

"Hey – watch out there, you're about to... fall?" Tael went from alarm to surprise in a matter of moments. The Scrubs watching were squeaking with renewed excitement, the remaining ones stopping to find out why then also staring. Even the other children looked on in astonishment.

"Still think it's not useful?" I asked Tael slyly, wishing I could put on a smirk while I was at it. I noticed the gate guard smiling at the sight of a floating Deku Scrub. "Come on, fairy boy. Where's the observatory entrance?"

"East Clock Town," he answered, his usual snarky attitude temporarily suspended. "Just round the corner from the Mayor's Residence. Should know that area from earlier. Just how much can you do with this... what did you call it?"

"Psychokinesis. Mostly I just call it using my mind though, or I pass it off as magic. I can do this, like I am now, but to practically anything else, use it to enhance the effect of actual magic-"

"You mean you've got magic too?"

"Kinda. I picked up three spells while I was adventuring in Hyrule. By themselves they've got fixed effects, but I can enhance and alter them, make them more or less powerful, make them work differently."

"Hard to learn?" he asked. I recognised the carefully casual tone. Mido had once asked me in exactly the same way. Gods knew I was tempted to teach him, and after knowing how helpful Navi had been with it, the same could be said of Tael.

"It's not so much that it's hard to learn, you just have to know your own limits. Some minds aren't as strong as others. That being said, I did teach a fairy once. She was my partner in Hyrule for a time. She didn't really reach the same kind of level as me, but I've had a lot longer to practice. She wasn't bad at it though, even picked up a few things I normally have trouble with."

"Really? Like what?"

"Oh, little things. I can sense the presence of other minds, if I concentrate a bit even tell what kind of mind – Deku, Fairy, Goron, Zora and so on. The problem is that it ingrained some habits in me, and that means I can't sense my surroundings with my mind. Navi learned that and was able to build up a mental map of an area, even seeing right through illusions that concealed traps – believe me, that was _very_ useful. Of course, that means she had a similar problem, only in reverse – it made it harder for her to detect minds, but since I could do that it wasn't a great loss."

"What happened to her? Navi, I mean."

"She left me. Not because of anything I did, don't worry. Where I was, a fairy partners with an individual for life, it ties them to them. The Kokiri don't age, so they're perfect partners – but I had to go into Hyrule, and I needed someone who knew it, so the Great Deku Tree asked her to by my partner. That meant she'll age at the same rate I do, and possibly if anything happens to me, it could also affect her. So instead of staying with me, she told me because she knew her time was limited, she wanted to spend it her way. After all the help she'd given me... well, I didn't even consider saying no."

"Crowds ahead. Going to fly over again? I guess you don't really need the flowers any more, huh?"

"Nonsense, just because I can do this-" I said, rising up over the crowds. "-doesn't mean I have to. It was something Navi and I talked about often – whether I should use my mind to my advantage, or use it only when mundane means failed me. I kinda went between the two whenever I felt like it really, and she brought it up whenever I did."

"You mean you fought over it? What did she think?"

"I think she'd have preferred it if I did less with my mind. She certainly made that point well in the Shadow Temple – the restless dead there were so overwhelming, I completely lost access to my mental powers. Until I found a way around it, I was forced to do everything the hard way, which meant it took me a long while just to pass the first obstacle. A pit, in case you're wondering."

"Bottomless?"

"No, I could see the bottom, even climb up and down – on the entrance side. The other side had no ladder. Impa left a grappling hook there for me to use, but since I've never needed it before... to say the least I fell down more than a few times."

"Heh. You're not so good without it, huh? Lets hope Ikana Canyon doesn't have the same effect on you. Go down here Deku boy and head up that alley there. The underground entrance is on the right. Can't miss it."

I reached ahead, getting back into practice with my mind and sensed a very young mind. As I rounded the corner I saw its owner, a little boy not much taller than myself. I'd seen boys like him about Clock Town, all wearing blue shorts, a white shirt with a number on the back, and a blue cap.

Well, all except two. The one trying to shoot down the balloon by the north gate had a red one, and this boy had a yellow one.

"You mean the one blocked off by that kid there?" I asked.

"What? Oh, you've got to be kidding me. Just lift him out the way."

"Just because I can, doesn't mean I should. Maybe he's there for a reason."

"But Silver..." he pleaded.

"You'll have plenty of chances to see me in action when we go rescue those guardians of yours," I told him. "Besides, people tend to resent it when you randomly do that to them. Don't mind us," I told the kid as we approached. "We're just going to the observatory."

"Do you have the code?" the rather bored looking boy asked.

"Code? What code?"

"Our code! The Bomber's secret code – if you can't tell me it, I can't let you through. If you want it, you'll have to talk to Jim. He's the one with the red cap."

"I just came from there," I complained. "If I'd known I'd have paid him a visit on my way. C'mon, Fairy boy. Back the way we came."

Almost before we were out of earshot Tael was back on my case again.

"Why didn't you just read his mind to find the code?" he demanded.

"You know, that's terribly clichéd Tael. Anyway, I can't do it."

"You can't? Why not?"

I sighed. Tael was going to be one of those kinds who wanted to know everything.

"You, me, everyone around – we're what we call sentient, which means we think."

"That's debatable in the case of some," Tael remarked. "Sorry. Go on."

"Right. People who think on average are thinking at least a dozen things at once. Where I'm going, what's that, who's that, why does he not like me, what do I want for lunch, what's the time – you get the idea. That makes it very difficult to pick up on any single thought, let alone reaching into memories which are even further out of reach. If I focus on someone's mind for long enough I may, just may, get a few tiny flashes – but not enough to tell what they're thinking. That requires a great deal more effort. In the circumstances, it's going to be easier to get this code out of Jim than to sit around for hours hoping I hit the right thought."

Tael looked disappointed, but brightened again almost immediately. "That means you'll have another chance to show off though, right? I know the Bombers, and I know Jim is their boss... if that applies to a kid. He'll test you for it and that means-"

"Alright, alright," I gave in. "If only to persuade you to stop pestering me about it. Honestly, you're like a little kid with candy."

He didn't answer that.

Despite the attention I was attracting, as a Deku Scrub flying without benefit of the flowers is a rather remarkable sight, I feigned ignorance and floated on back to the north gate, settling down once there and wandering over to Jim who was of course, _still_ trying to shoot down the balloon.

"Don't bother me," he said absently, apparently vaguely aware of me. "I'm trying to shoot this down."

"You don't say?" Tael murmured.

I watched for a few moments, then sighed and took out another nut.

"Your pea-shooter isn't going to cut it," I told him. "You do it like this."

Then I shot down the balloon. No, I didn't use my mind, tempting as it was. I was still trying to convince Tael that it wasn't really essential I do everything that way.

"Can we talk now?" I asked Jim pleasantly.

"I guess..." he answered reluctantly, already pulling out a fresh balloon. "What did you want?"

"The Great Fairy up there suggested I pay a call on the observatory, and since I'm just a kid I can't leave town through the gates. Only one of your boys is blocking the underground route and won't let me through without some code."

"Is that all? I can't give you the code if you're not one of the Bombers though. I suppose..."

"Wait for it," Tael whispered.

"I could put you to the test, see if you got the right stuff." He thought about it, then pulled out a whistle and blew on it. One of the children playing ran over to join him, his shirt bearing the number four on the back, number two came from toward east Clock Town, then number three from south and after a few moments number five followed.

"Alright, boys!" Jim said to them. "This Deku Scrub-"

"Silver," I supplied.

"Silver wants to join us. What d'ya say?"

"Wait, I thought we weren't gonna let anyone in if they weren't human?" number two said. "After what happened with Skull Kid?"

I glanced to Tael, who nodded with a slight embarrassed flush that spoke volumes.

"He's a Silverwood Scrub though," number four put in. "I heard the Deku children talking about him. He's magic. We all saw him fly out just now!"

"Right, but after Skull Kid..."

"Oh. Right. Maybe not. But we could tell him our code, at least?"

Jim appeared to take that as a sign of consent, so turned back to me. "Okay Silver. Here's the deal. We can't let you in – we had a bit of trouble with the last guy who wasn't human, see? But we'll make a special exception, and teach you our code. If," he held up one finger, just in case I was thinking of interrupting. "If, you can find all five of us before tonight, 'cause we can't be out at night. And our guy down who sent you don't count, hear?"

"Well, could you give me a moment to make sure I recognise you? You humans all look alike to me," I lied. "At least unless I look closely."

Jim looked around again, and all four others nodded. I made some show of examining them, but what I was actually doing was touching their minds, getting the feel of them so I'd recognise them again among the crowds of Clock Town, because no doubt they'd run off as soon as Jim gave the word, and I'd have to catch them.

When I was satisfied he nodded and said, "You gotta give us five seconds head start and no peeking! We'll wait over there when you've caught us," he gestured to the little park bench that wasn't far from the Fairy's Fountain. "Alright boys, run for it!"

"What'd I tell you?" Tael said while I looked skyward. "This isn't gonna be easy."

"Guess again. It wasn't their looks I was looking for – it was their minds. Now I'll recognise them wherever they go in Clock Town. I can't track all five all at the same time, but as long as I use my mind to search the town, and I've got reach enough to cover most of it in one go, I'll find them." I paused, then added, "Suitably impressed?"

"How can I not be after that? You've just made catching them... well, child's play."

"Glad you approve. I think we've given them enough of a headstart, so why don't we play hide and seek with them?"


	7. Hide and Seek

Within a few minutes of starting I knew, more or less, where all five of the Bombers were. Two had taken to the east of town, one was not far from what I guessed was the so far unvisited west gate, and the last two were still here. One hiding behind a tree, the other hiding in among the playing children.

Find them all by nightfall? Not a problem. I spotted the one behind the tree duck his head out just enough to see me, while I pretended not to notice and look toward the south gate. Once he was back behind it I went straight up and over toward the tree, much to the interest of the nearby Deku children again.

The little kid appeared to have the sense not to be tricked into showing himself by that, but just like those who don't look down, neither did he remember to look _up_ either. I landed just behind him as he looked out again, trying to find me. Then he turned back and gave a startled outcry.

"How'd you do that?" he demanded. I just lifted him up slightly – a usually very convincing display. Something about standing on empty air persuades people _very_ quickly.

"Think I've got you?" I asked pleasantly. He nodded his head so quickly it looked as if it was going to come off, so I put him down and wandered on foot over to the park area. There was a fence around it, but that was only a minor inconvenience compared to the sudden group of Deku I had surrounding me.

"C'mon, let him be," Tael told them firmly but gently. "Don't want to make him angry now, do you? You know what Silverwoods do then?"

The Deku went back to their playing almost as quickly as they'd gathered.

"What do Silverwoods do?" I asked him.

"Hm? I have no idea," Tael admitted. "Probably they don't either, but they all have their own ideas of what you can do after those few displays. Is there really one of the Bombers here?"  
"Yeah. Jim himself. He's hiding behind the slide. You go one way, I'll go the other way. Try and distract him for me."

"But... Isn't there some other way?" he asked hopefully.

"I told you, showing off continues when we look for the guardians."

He was a bit disappointed by that, but I was starting to wonder if I'd have time to make good on that promise. Four guardians, and no doubt four temples or dungeons or something that I'd have to go through in three days or less – let alone getting the Ocarina of Time back and hoping the moon didn't fall.

While I made my way around one side I heard Tael make a pest of himself the way only he could.

"Hey, kid. What're you doing?"

"Go away!" Jim hissed. "I'm hiding from that Silver."

"Why're you hiding?"

"'cause he's trying to find me."

"Why's he trying to find you?" Tael persisted.

"'cause he wants our code."

"Why's he want your code?"

"Look will you leave me alone? He'll find me at this rate!"

"Turn around – I already have," I said. "Thanks Tael."

Jim looked from me back to Tael in consternation. "You did it on purpose!" he accused.

"Yep!" Tael replied happily. "Gotcha. Two down, three left to go."

Jim was understandably put out with us for that, but it had been his choice to hide there. If it'd been one of the other Bombers they'd have got the same.

For now I went toward the east of town, heading over crowds were they got in the way. Along the way I spotted the next two Bombers, one on a rooftop right beside the east gate, the other on the straw thatching above the entrance of the Stock Pot Inn. This was going to be too easy.

This time I landed beside a bell just outside an upper door of the inn and wandered up behind the Bomber, number 3 on the back of his shirt.

"See anything interesting?" I asked him casually.

"Not yet. Looking for a Deku Scrub," he replied, keeping eyes on the area below. "He's trying to find me."

"I know I am," I said. This didn't appear to register on him at first, then he turned and saw me.

"Not bad," he conceded, then grinned. "Catch me if you can!"

And he leapt down easily and ran off.

"Nice try Deku boy, but it looks like you'll have to do better than that to catch that one," Tael remarked.

"Plenty of time for that," I said, then glanced up at the moon. I could have sworn it looked bigger. "I think," I added.

The other Bomber in the area had fortunately not noticed this. I also dropped down, keeping out of his sight until I was right beside him, if on the ground. Then I simply rose up in front of him and said, "Boo!"

Unsurprisingly the sight of me appearing out of nowhere startled him. Unlike his friend he didn't run, but accepted that I'd caught him. Two left to go.

I reached out searching for the one who'd run only to find he'd somehow found his way back where he'd started – maybe he'd gone through the Inn while I hadn't been watching, so I repeated my trick with him this time. Without opening the door he had nowhere to go, so catching him was easier a second time.

That just left the one in the west of town, the one area I hadn't gone yet. Tael directed me over, round and through the crowds to the narrow street that led up to the west gate, along which were a variety of stores on the west side and stalls further narrowing it on the right – among them the local branch of the Bank of Termina. Just to be safe I opened an account there and then with him and deposited a considerable sum of my funds. The lone man running it seemed astonished that the apparent Deku child he was serving was so affluent, but like I said – Heroing pays off.

Among the stores I made a note of visiting later were the Curiosity Shop – open only late at night, and no idea what it sold making it a curiosity in itself – the Clock Town Store'n Shop, better known as a general store, and the Bomb Shop. I glanced in, but they were out of bomb bags – and everything else besides. There was a Goron in there selling something he called a Powder Keg, but I only knew that because of another Goron talking to him. He wouldn't talk to anyone but Gorons.

Up at the top was a wider, open area free of merchants stalls. The post office and a Swordsman's school took up one wall, but the rest appeared to be nothing but houses. All except for one, which was a lottery place that, naturally, wouldn't even consider letting me in.

Here was where I found the fifth Bomber, watching me carefully through the far less dense foot traffic. I made a move one way, and he moved the other. I ran for him and he ran off one way that meant I had to give chase.

After I'd chased him around the area a few times I stopped, realising this was pointless – he could run faster than I could on these legs. Stubby Deku legs really aren't made for running. So, once more I fell back on floating instead. He continued to run, but he'd soon tire, while my mind could keep going for far longer.

I could also move much quicker, managing to corner him just outside the post office.

"Aw, rats," he complained, breathing hard from all the running. "I thought I'd got you until you started flying."

"Well, lemme make it up to you," I told him. "Something I picked up a while back."

"What are you doing, Deku boy?" Tael asked.

"Magic," I replied, taking out, what else, Farore's Wind. "First time I've tried it here in Termina I'll admit, but it should work."

"What's it do?" they both asked at the same time.

"Just stay nearby and I'll show you," I told them. This was also the first time I'd done any magic as a Deku, and also since the end of my previous adventure. I hoped being out of practice wouldn't make a difference, then as always, picture my destination – the bench where the other four Bombers would be waiting – and channelled the magic.

Farore's Wind answered, blurring the air around us momentarily as our view changed, depositing us right beside the bench. The four Bombers waiting were watching with wide eyes, and the Deku children were back to squeaking with surprise yet again – only this time there were several human children chattering excitedly too. Maybe practising magic in Clock Town hadn't been such a good idea.

"See," I said, trying to ignore all this. "Magic. Oh, hello again Jim," I said as if only just realising he was there. "I was just giving him a quicker way to join you once I caught him. Looks like I got you all."

"I told you he did magic!" one of the Bombers from the east of town told Jim.

"All Silverwood Scrubs do magic," I replied, hoping I was accurate. As long as I was the only one though, they'd never realise either way. "Didn't you promise to tell me that code for finding you all?"

"But magic..." Jim said uneasily. "And you tricked me too with your fairy friend..."

"It's not as if I'm joining you," I told him. "And I'm only going to use it to visit the Observatory. I promise."

Jim looked to the others, sharing a look then eventually decided and nodded. They arranged themselves in a line, turning around to reveal the numbers on their back – in order, 24315.

"This is the code," he told me. "Don't forget it."

Then the five of them scattered again without another word.

"Well that was easy," Tael remarked. "Used up a bunch of time, but easy enough."

"I'm starting to wonder if we're going to have enough time. If I had the Ocarina back..."

"What's so special about it?"

"It's the Ocarina of Time. One of the keys to open Hyrule's Temple of Time, and also something that lets me travel time more precisely than on my own."

"You can..."

"Yeah, travel time. I don't do it very often because normally it takes a great deal of effort. With the Ocarina and Song of Time, perhaps the Goddess of Time will help us, but..."

"You've got to get it back. If she'd help us though... maybe we could use these three days again?"  
"One way to find out, and first we've got to go to the Observatory."


	8. Mooned for a Tear

With the Bomber's Code in mind the bored and probably unlucky Bomber guarding the route let us pass, heading down into the underground passageway that looked like one of the town's water flows. Given the clarity of the water, I'm going to say it was probably for water coming in.

There were several low platforms creating stepping stones over the waters surface. At some time there appeared to have been wooden bridges connecting them, but these were now long gone. As myself I could probably have leapt from one to the next even without my mind, a normal Deku Scrub would have had more trouble.

I decided since I was neither, I could do a bit of both. I started off hopping on the water's surface again, safe in the knowledge that should it all turn suddenly bad on me, I could simply rescue myself mentally. Thanks to that and the short journey over to a narrow path on the far side, I discovered that I could hop at most five times before I ran out of momentum to keep me going.

"Would have been cooler if you'd just floated over," Tael grumbled.

"I told you, later. I think I see a big Skulltula ahead. There, look?" I pointed. "Those look like legs."

"That's not a big Skulltula," Tael sniffed. "That's a normal size for them."

"In Hyrule, they're considered big," I told him, taking out several nuts again. My stock was starting to look a little low, I'd need to find some more soon. Or perhaps buy some from the helpful Business Scrub from before. "There are others that are smaller. Now let me concentrate," I said, closing in.

The Skulltula definitely appeared even larger still thanks to my more diminutive size. I had to get a bit closer than I was comfortable with to make it react to my presence – maybe that was how the Bomber's got past it? - then waited for it to turn around with the typical stupidity of all Skulltulas and spat the first nut at it.

Where most of the stuff I'd had in Hyrule's present had taken two hits to kill them and in the future there only one, killing this one by Deku Nuts meant it took four shots and one miss because it turned around. I had a considerable lack of power as a Scrub.

Once it was gone I rounded the corner at the far end it opened into a large storeroom. There was another exit opposite, hidden behind a balloon identical to the one Jim had been trying to shoot down.

"A Skulltula and a balloon?" I asked. "Some security they have down here."

"Looks like there's a maze made out of these boxes, Deku boy," Tael reported from above. "You could go through or-"

"I know, I know," I sighed. "Anything to see me show off again. Honestly, it's like you're the opposite of Navi. She'd chide me about doing it too much, you're complaining about not doing it enough."

"Just suggesting a better way," he told me airily, quite happy to fly along beside me. The crates below did not exactly form a maze as such, but had the Great Fairy not given me back my mind it would at least have slowed me down a bit.

At the other end was of course the observatory, a place littered with old notes, pots, more crates and all kinds of star charts. A long staircase wound up around the outside walls, on which was painted the night-sky with stars.

I didn't bother to climb them, at least until I spotted the one lone old man at the top, and even then he was busily looking through the massive telescope, muttering to himself.

"'scuse me," I said, putting up the kid act once again. "Can I take a look?"

The old man turned, his blue robe concealing his feet so it looked like he was on a turntable or something.

"Oh, hello there," he said rather vaguely. "I don't recognise you. A new friend the Bomber's made maybe."

"Yeah, just today. Wondered if I could look through that, see what I could see."

"I'm afraid there's little to see in the day, little fellow. Especially with the moon falling, you know."

"That's alright, it isn't the sky I'm looking for."

"Well, alright..." he said, shuffling aside. "These control the movement so you can look about," he said, directing me to controls that were set lower down. Either the Bombers were regular astronomers, or he had some reason for putting them below his reach.

I had no idea what I was looking for as such. Tael told me Skull Kid was likely somewhere in Clock Town, though I hadn't sensed him when looking for the Bombers. The Great Fairy had told me only to come here to see if I could find him.

Once I started to get the hang of the controls I looked about, first at the moon, which was nothing more than a pock-marked sphere with an ugly face on it, then down at Clock Town itself. I was surprised at how far away from it I'd gone. Termina Field, while nothing on the vast empty expanse of Hyrule Field, surrounded the town. In another difference from it's Hylian counterpart, it was filled with monster life – some of which I hadn't met before. I recognised Guays from Lake Hylia, the wild Deku Scrubs and Deku Babas, but there were jelly-like things wobbling about all over the place and strange rat-like creatures over toward the canyon.

My focus was what I could see of Clock Town though. I scanned through the visible rooftops only to find nothing, then started to look up the Clock Tower.

"Hey, is there a kinda zoom thing on this?" I asked, spotting something on top I couldn't quite make out."

"The lever on your left," the astronomer told me. "Forward to increase the zoom, backward to decrease."

That was useful. I zoomed in on the top of the Clock Tower and saw, yes, Skull Kid – looking right at me! He made a rude gesture at me, then looked up toward the moon. I reorientated the telescope on it and watched as a small blazing streak shot down. Outside there was a mighty thump that shook the observatory.

I looked back at Skull Kid, who appeared to be able to tell when I was looking back again because he mooned me, laughed and vanished.

"What was that bang?" the astronomer asked, quickly taking the telescope back from me. "Perhaps another Moon's Tear has fallen? Oh, would you use that door there," he pointed. "And go outside, see if one has fallen? You're welcome to keep it, I have one already."

"What did you see?" Tael murmured as I headed for the door, opening it with my mind because otherwise I'd have had to leap for the door handle.

"Skull Kid on top of the Clock Tower," I told him, then relayed the rest to him.

"Yeah, sounds like the kinda thing he'd do. Did you see Tatl? My sis?"

"No, no fairies. Sorry."

"Don't be, not your fault. I hope nothing's happened to her."

While we talked I searched around outside and – by one of those highly suspicious coincidences – found a blue gemstone embedded in rock that cracked and popped as it cooled.

"A Moon's Tear?" I asked Tael.

"What do I look like, a Goron? Take it to see the old dude inside."

"While it's still hot?"

"So use your mind then."

I sighed again. Not that I didn't mind it, it was after all a habit for me, but Hyrule had shown me that it wasn't really wrong to fall back on mundane methods first. If nothing else it makes you less remarkable.

The old astronomer confirmed that it was in fact a Moon's Tear, overlooking the remarkable sight of it apparently floating by itself. Once I had that in hand I decided to cheat again, taking out Farore's Wind and using it to get back quicker.

I found once again, there were limits to it. As far as it was concerned there were set areas and I could warp about as much as I wanted within them – but not beyond. I had to cross the unseen boundary on my own terms.

The Observatory counted as one, so I had to go all the way back down and into the tunnels before it would take me to the far end in one burst of magic. While it was probably a bad idea to do magic where people would see it again, I didn't trust Clock Town's burgeoning carnival population not to contain a few thieves. A second use took us to the Laundry Pool, which was deserted and gave me a place to dunk the Moon's Tear long enough for it to cool.

It also gave me somewhere out of the way to arrive at, and once cooled and dried a place to hide it away before I took it to the Business Scrub – who was only too happy to take it off my hands.

"Marvellous!" he exclaimed. "As bright as they say! My wife will surely love this. Ah..." he rummaged around – don't ask me where, he wasn't wearing anything – and produced a bit of parchment.

"What's this?"

"The title deed for this flower! It's yours now, you see. Prime city location. Other Business Scrubs would love to get their hands on this just for that alone. Look at the crowds – can you imagine how much business we could do if we had something they wanted to buy?"

"Plenty, I should imagine. I might make use of this myself."

"Well, I wish you best of luck, my boy!" the Business Scrub exclaimed. He removed his fez and stowed it somewhere – again, don't ask me where – ducked into the flower and was up and away, flying on the tiny helicopter-like leaves that had been hidden under the fez. He had one extra bag that presumably contained the Moon's Tear, but it didn't appear to affect his flying.

"So now you own a flower – piece of supposedly prime estate," Tael remarked. "What're you going to do with it?"

"No idea. I don't have anything to sell. If I could get to another Business Scrub outside town I'd see if they wanted it."

"Huh. Well since you're so set on not using your mind, at least you'll be able to get up there," he told me, flitting toward a ledge above the Clock Tower's door – which also had a door on. "That's the only way normal people can get up on top of it, and then only at the eve of the carnival. We of course don't have to worry about that."

"No, but we have to find Skull Kid. I've just searched the town and there's no sign of him. I'd recognise the sense of that mask anywhere, believe me."

"He'll be here for the carnival's eve," Tael said. "But if we do that, we won't have time..."

"Leave that to me," I told him. "If I manage to get my Ocarina back, the Goddess of Time will surely help – and if all else fails I can still travel time on my own strength. It won't be as accurate, since I usually deal with bigger periods of time, but better that than nothing at all."

"Bigger periods? Just how big?"

"Oh, a few centuries or so," I shrugged. "If I really concentrate I can usually handle shorter times. The shorter it gets though, the harder it is. If I've got a focus, a point in time I can use to concentrate on, it makes it easier."

"Centuries? Just how old are you, Silver?"

"Fourteen," I replied absently, thinking. "You know, it's pretty spacious under this flower. I wonder if I could take a nap there or something?"

* * *

Silver's account was interrupted by someone knocking hard on Tails' door. They all shared a look.

"It's no one I know," Tails said. "People who know me know my door isn't locked. Silver?"

Silver rolled his eyes, but said nothing. His eyes went distant for a moment, then they narrowed, becoming hard. "I suppose that solves that particular mystery. I'll be back in a moment."

He was followed by curious looks as he went to the door nearby and opened it a bit.

"What're you doing here?" he demanded of the unseen person outside ungraciously.

"Well that's nice," a voice similar to Sonic's said. "I dunno, after all I did... get outta the way and let me in, will you?"

Silver was shoved roughly aside and a green hedgehog bearing identical green to Silver wandered in. It wasn't Manic though – the black jacket gave that away. It was Scourge instead.

"Just been hearing about you," Sonic remarked.

"Give me a break, I heard the whole thing. He," he jerked a thumb toward Silver, "didn't bother to look far when he found you. I suppose he didn't get too much wrong."

"How did you get back from Hyrule, Scourge?" Silver demanded.

"I ran," he shrugged. "Same way I got there. Never told you about it 'cause first time I saw you, you were pretending to be a Hylian brat, and by the time that future time you talked about rolled around, I had other things on my mind."

"You spent the whole seven years there?"

"Ten," Scourge corrected harshly. "It took me two years to find my way again, and one more to get all the way here. Had some help off some humans along the way."

"So why did you come in now?" Tails asked, apparently the only one so far to stay civil with him.

"There's a storm coming in," he shrugged. "I don't fancy getting soaked, and I want to hear more about this Termina place. Now are you gonna carry on telling us what happened or do I have to beat it out of you?"

"There's the Scourge we all know and hate," Knuckles sighed. "You're in a room with three Heroes and Sonic," he told Scourge. Sonic winced at the description. "You really think you'd get away with anything here?"

"Just talk, Silver," Scourge said sourly. "Before I change my mind about this."


	9. Over Again

There isn't too much to tell for my remaining time in Clock Town – at least on these three days. I didn't have anything to do, since despite my best efforts to reason with the gate guards, they absolutely refused to let me leave without parents. Apparently having Tael around to keep an eye on me wasn't enough for them.

The dawn of the second day came overcast and soon enough with rain. At this point I discovered that in the form of rain, water was actually something I enjoyed. Deku Scrubs are to some degree still plants, and since I now counted under there I drew nourishment from it as well.

Since I had little to do and despite the deposit I'd made at the bank I still had a considerable amount of funds available, I decided to make use of my new prime location and go into business of a sort. I couldn't find anything to sell, but maybe others did, and didn't have anywhere to do so.

After much searching I found a merchant willing to part with one of his signs and wrote, admittedly in rather bad Hylian made worse by not being able to reach properly, a short message on it that'd tell passers by what I had in mind. That was then propped up beside the flower, though just under an overhang nearby so it wouldn't get washed off.

Neither Tael or I had many hopes about this really. I was still fairly remarkable and since I was now practically guaranteed to be found, more often than not people came looking for me to see the strange silver Deku Scrub than actually to avail themselves of the little service, and those who did find it interesting were either put off by having to deal with a child, or tried to cheat me because I was a child and found themselves given a swift lesson in morality. I _don't_ like people who think they can get the better of me that way.

During the course of that day I bought a new slingshot – new for me, it had of course been used – that had no ammunition, but appeared to be suitable for firing anything, a grappling hook that was soon bought off me by the nearby workmen, putting it to good use in their construction work, and an interesting mechanical beetle with wings.

A man calling himself Sakon tried to pawn off a bag of undisclosed goods on me late in the evening, becoming suspicious when I refused to do business without knowing what was inside and when he revealed that there were bombs, bomb bags and bombchus in the guard at the south gate drew out a whistle, blew it and shouted, "Stop! Thief!"

Sakon bolted with his apparently ill-gotten wares. Two Deku Nuts followed until I remembered I had no need any more and simply grabbed him mentally. As I so often did at these times, I put up the appearance of magic by squeaking random gibberish.

A few more guards turned up, puffing in their clinking armour, regarding the wildly struggling Sakon and the sack floating in mid-air, then at the gate guard's gesture they noticed me.

"Care to put him down, lad?" one asked, while the other retrieved the bag and caught Sakon. I obliged, relaxing my hold on him. He made sure his colleague had him secured, then came to join me, glancing at the sign.

"Just thought I'd do something with the place," I explained. "I bought it off the Business Scrub that used to be here."

"Fair business?"

"Not too bad. Fairly quiet really, since people seem to have trouble dealing with me. I don't do a 'no questions asked' thing, so some people weren't happy about that."

"Like him, you mean."

"Right. He didn't really want to show me what he had, and when he did..."

"The guard noticed and called. You've helped apprehend a criminal, my boy. That thing you did..."

"I'm a Silverwood Scrub. I am, and can do, magic."

"Very useful. Stay out of trouble now, won't you?"

"Can I just ask... where did he steal them, do you know?" That information would come in useful if I came to this point in time again.

"Yesterday evening just inside the north gate, I believe," the guard replied. "The old lady who owns the bomb shop came in and was assaulted. Those at the scene came to her aid, but Sakon got away. Have a good night now, young master," he told me, then returned back to Sakon and took him away.

"Magic?" Tael asked. "You said-"

"I know what I said, it's just easier to pass it off as that. Remember him, Tael. If we do these days again, maybe we can prevent the crime before it happens."

"Turning into a bit of a guard yourself, huh? You're supposed to be saving us from that thing up there, not dispensing justice."

"You're forgetting – I travel time. Besides, who's to say helping with the original theft won't get us something? Only one way to find out, and if it goes bad, we just turn back the clock again."

Tael gave up trying to convince me after that.

Again though, there was little of note after this. I didn't do any business at all during the third day, mostly because the crowds were far less of a crowd – everyone seemed to be fleeing. When you looked up at the by now giant moon, it was understandable. Periodically the ground rumbled and shook slightly as it continued to fall. You could practically _see_ it falling now. The fact that it had a distinctly insane looking face on it only made it more disturbing.

Tael didn't find it particularly amusing when I noticed I could see right up its nose however, or that I was sure I could see room for it to clean the teeth a bit better.

The whole time I was keeping a lookout for Skull Kid and the mask, but either the latter had figured out how to hide itself, or it had also decided to skip town. Both Tael and, after a visit, the Great Fairy assured me he would return before it became too late.

It's hard to spend any time waiting without getting nervous when you know the only thing between you getting hit by a moon and your escape is a few notes on an Ocarina, and harder still when you're in a position to notice people running. Quite a few tried to persuade me too, until I got irritated with it all and just headed up to the door of the Clock Tower – the upper one that would open on the Carnival's eve. Which only made people shout up at me until I ducked down out of sight, grumbling to myself.

Finally the giant clock on the tower proclaimed it to be midnight and the doors beside me opened, or rather retracted to form a giant stairway up to the top of the tower. The clock stopped, rose up and tipped over, turning from a giant clock into a giant platform facing the moon. With, at long last, a very familiar and overpowering presence to it.

Much like when I'd faced Bongo-Bongo in Kakariko Village, I chose to strengthen my mental defences instead of try to act against it at all. Bad enough what it had done to me already, leaving myself open to more was not a good idea.

A hatch at the top opened on to the clock face. Skull Kid and the fairy I now knew as Tatl hovered high above, Skull Kid staring at the moon. He was tossing the Ocarina of Time in one hand.

"Ah, Skull Kid," Tael said. "We've been looking for you."

"Tael!" Tatl exclaimed. "You're alright! I was so worried! But..."

"He's helping me," he explained my presence. "And he can do it."

"Can he?" Skull Kid asked, staring back down at me. "He thinks he can stop me, does he?"

"Bet on it," I told him.

"Whatever. If it's something that can be stopped... just try and stop it!"

He looked back to the moon spreading his arms wide as he vented an ethereal scream. I took the chance that the mask was occupied to reach out and seize the Ocarina in my mind, yanking it from his grasp. Tatl gave a startled gasp.

"Told you he could do it, didn't I sis?" Tael said smugly.

"Don't you ever stop being insufferable?" Tatl demanded.

"Stop that, the both of you," I told them, snatching the Ocarina – and suddenly I was holding a set of wooden pipes in the same silver wood as I was. I got them awkwardly into place, rapidly trying to figure out how to play the various notes I needed.

"What's he doing?" Tatl asked Tael.

"Getting us more time," he replied. "See you three days ago."

"Three days ago? What..."

I waved him into silence. Tael hovered nearby, then though it was different on these pipes, I played the Song of Time and hoped fervently that the Goddess of Time was watching, listening or in any way paying attention so she'd help me. I don't normally have much of a need for divine intervention, but right at this point I'd have forgiven anyone for thinking otherwise, you can believe me!

Nothing appeared to happen, not at first. Sounds slowly faded away, movements slowed down and eventually stopped. Tatl was frozen in mid-air, as was Skull Kid, still in the grip of yelling at the moon – which had, I noticed now, come even more closer than it had before, but had also stopped.

Now light too faded, not to darkness but to a brilliant white. Tael, who like me had not been frozen in place, hovered even closer, just in case.

After the world became nothing more than empty white, muffled sounds came in. The sound of something colliding with something wooden first.

"That sounds like when you hit the tree," Tael murmured. "When we first found you."

I winced just at the memory of it.

"Skull Kid trying to play my Ocarina," I creaked, hearing some poorly played notes.

"My, where did you learn such language," Tael said mildly, hearing some of the curses I'd made at the time.

"You really don't want to know. Don't let me hear you using that kind of language. That sounded like me landing on the Deku flower."

"Being turned into a Deku Scrub," he added when the sound of the crackling mask came through."

We both paused to listen as various snippets of our first few minutes in each others company came through, the sounds of my first flights on Deku Flowers, then the remarks on the curious twisted thing we'd found before entering the Clock Tower.

The sounds of the Clock Tower came to us, the white starting to fade away again. No more sounds came to us, but the scene was revealed. I stood just outside the Clock Tower as if I'd just left. Around me, the frozen tableau was set at the exact moment I'd left – the dawn of the first day, all over again.

And then as the fading effect finished, well, fading... time started again. No one appeared to notice anything out of the ordinary, at least about me. The moon was back up higher. Everything had started over.

"Incredible," Tael remarked. "I mean... I knew it was going to happen, but still..."

"C'mon," I told him. "We've got my Ocarina back. Now we can get me back to normal, and that means we can go rescue these guardians of yours. We'll see to it Termina doesn't meet the fate that moon has in mind, even if no one remembers half the stuff we do."

Tael followed me as I shoved open the door of the Clock Tower. We both noted as we passed through that time outside stopped again. Here inside the tower, time did not appear to move. Which was interesting.

"Come out!" I called out. "Mask seller! You're here somewhere, aren't you?"

As if called by that, he appeared suddenly yet again with that strange laugh of his.

"Well?" he asked. "Were you able to retrieve your precious belonging?" I took it out of the bag of holding, where it turned into the Deku pipes again. I was about to set it down when he told me, "No, no, you must keep it on you. Now listen here," he said, and he was then sat at the organ on one wall – wait, an organ? There hadn't been an organ there a moment ago!

"How did he..." Tael started, similarly stunned.

"Listen to this song which I am about to play," the mask man told me. "Listen, and remember it well. This is a melody that heals evil magic and soothes troubled spirits, turning them into masks. Listen, then play it yourself."

With another sudden change he was now facing the organ. Despite its many keys that he surely couldn't hope to have reached on his own, he played only three notes. Which, I noted, were actually Saria's Song in reverse. More peculiar still was that the organ sounded like a piano.

Nevertheless I played the song myself, and as I did so he played an accompaniment to it. There was a flash and I was back in the unreal scene with the Deku Scrubs again, only this time there was none of the hostility I'd seen before.

The Giant Deku scrub was still before me, but it was retreating away from me now. When it reached the point it had appeared from before, it bowed to me, then sunk down into the flower. The other Deku Scrubs followed suit in unison with a great rustle of leaves.

The scene did not fade however. The grass around me changed slightly, becoming familiar. As it reached out great roots started to fade in, followed by an immense trunk. As that appeared I recognised what I was seeing as the Great Deku Tree.

"Verily, we meet again, Heroic Silver," he greeted me.

"But aren't you..."

"Aye, I passed away, as thou knowest. But here in the realm where the lines are blurred, I may impart knowledge once again. Hyrule hath seen its saviour in thee, and now it is the time of Termina to do the same. Thou knowest already that the Goddess of Time guides thy hand, but thou art unaware of all she offers to thee. An thou dost play the song in reverse, time's flow shall slow – but take note that this will limit thy interaction with others. They pass through it at time's normal flow, and will not perceive or be affected by thee in any way."

"But it'll be useful for making the most of the time I've got, right?"

"Indeed. Now my time is almost up and thou art soon to be returned to the real world. Recall that I clothed thee in the image of a Hylian boy with abilities of thine own mind, though thou understood them not thyself. That selfsame song that frees thee from thy Deku form shall also release thee from it, but fear not, for an thou should need it again, heed the advice of he who taught you the song. May the Goddesses bear thee on thy way, Noble Hero," he told me, then there was the flash again.

I felt different. I felt normal. My mind's strength had to have been limited in some way still while I had been a Deku, because the last of it came back in full force.

There were two distinct clatters nearby.

"Silver," Tael said, sounding concerned. "You're... what are you?"

I looked myself over, then with a sigh of relief answered, "I'm myself again. This is what I really look like Tael. I'm not a human at all, I just looked like one."

"But..."

"Hedgehog," I answered, picking up two masks that were on the ground before me. One looked like a Deku Scrub, the other my face as a Hylian – complete with a shock of blond hair at the top.

"Ah, yes," the Happy Mask Man said, having appeared nearby again – and the organ similarly vanished, I also noted. "Take these, in commemoration of this event. Fear not for the magic has been sealed within the masks. Should you wish to inhabit the body of either again, simply wear it and you will take on that form, remove it again to restore yourself. And now, I have fulfilled my promises to you..."

"Oh. Oh bugger," I said.

"Don't tell me... my mask... you did... get it back, didn't you?"

"Um. Not exactly," I replied, suspecting I knew where this was about to go. Rather unexpectedly, the eyes that had previously remained closed now opened and turned harsh.

"You! What have you done to me?" he exclaimed. I backed away nervously. "If you leave my mask out there, something terrible will happen!"  
"We know!" Tael snapped at him. "We almost got hit by it just trying to get that Ocarina back! We had to do that so he could get back to normal and reach the guardians!"

"I hope you are right, little fairy," he said morosely. "That mask... it is the Majora's Mask, an accursed item surrounded by legends. Legends of an ancient tribe that once used it in hexing rituals, legends of a demon that inhabits the mask along with its opposite... It caused such troubles that it was sealed away... but I found it."

"You went looking for it, didn't you?" I asked. "You're a collector... you didn't want to use it, you just wanted to put it in the collection."

"I thought if I kept it safe, nothing would happen... but I felt it when I obtained it. The dark and terrible power it has. The doom of a dark omen brewing. Silver!" he exclaimed, suddenly turning on me again. "You must get that mask back! You must do whatever it takes to return it to me!"

"I'm going to already – we had a deal, didn't we?"

"Then I wish you the best of luck, Silver," he said, turning back to his friendly self. "And may the Goddess of Time continue to watch over you..." then with another laugh, he vanished again.


	10. Hylian Silver

"So, wait," Sonic interrupted, holding up one hand. "These masks. They're not just masks, they turn you into stuff?"

"Some of them," Silver answered. "I got three more that actually changed my form, and one more that altered it significantly while also leaving me in whatever form I was in at the time. I collected a lot of other masks too though, and some of them had their own magic."

"Still got them?" Knuckles asked, interested.

"Of course. Well – all except one. I didn't think it was safe to keep it, so I had the self proclaimed Happy Mask Man to keep it." Silver stopped and looked at them all. "Alright, but I'm not going to go to my Deku form," he sighed. "I never really felt comfortable with it."

"Hylian then?" Tails suggested. "How did that mask work, by the way?"

"You mean did it give me the image back or transform me?" Silver asked, reaching into the pouch to find it. "Let me tell the story and you'll find out," he told them, then put the mask on before continuing.

* * *

Since I knew well the likely reaction I'd see if I exited the Clock Tower as myself, let alone some of the issues I might face if I wanted to deal with the Bombers again, I decided it was probably in my best interests to appear to be Hylian – or here, human.

Of course, no matter which form I chose, this meant actually wearing the mask, and despite the Mask Man's assurance that I could remove the mask again, logically this made no sense. If I wore the Deku Mask I'd become a Deku, and there would be no mask – how then to remove it?

Despite various concerns I decided there was no time like the present – literally speaking, since time outside the Clock Tower was still paused until I left – and put the Hylian mask somewhat awkwardly over my own features.

I won't even try to describe what happened next. There was a strange sound that I still can't put a word to, the feeling that the mask had somehow adhered to my face, then the sense that my entire body was melting, being changed into the new form.

It was _not_ exactly a nice feeling. I've since had to change form so many times I've grown used to it, but I also later learned the lesson of not changing form too quickly after having something to eat. Believe me, bad idea. Especially when what you've just eaten isn't normal cuisine for the form you take on.

I still bore my green tunic and boots, and since I had spent plenty of time in Hyrule looking at myself and seeing the image of a Hylian boy, what I looked like was not a surprise to me. What was a surprise was that this was not just an image – I even _felt_ Hylian now. There was no real hedgehog concealed from view underneath, if a doctor had examined me he'd have proclaimed me to be a healthy young Hylian.

"Why bother with that?" Tael asked, apparently not having followed my idea behind this.

"Think about it," I said, then winced slightly. My voice had changed too now. I even sounded like the young boy I looked like. "There are Hylian – humans," I corrected. "Everywhere. We're going to be dealing with them a lot, and you heard what the Bombers said. You also saw how much attention I got as a Deku Scrub, so if they see my real self..."

"Point taken. So now you're... well, back to normal I guess... we can go save the world. Swamp first, I think."

"Hold on a moment. Didn't the Great Fairy ask us to restore her again? And now I've got the Ocarina of Time, I'm sure she said if we used that too, it'd keep her restored no matter how many times we go back in time."

"Oh, right. Well I suppose it's not as if we're all that short on time, if we need more we can just... start over. You realize what this means, don't you?"

"Probably, but go on," I prompted.

"Well, how does this sound? One run through, we go helping people, buying or getting useful stuff and all that. Next day, we go save one of the guardians. Switch between them. We just have to remember to make that Ocarina of yours protect the Guardians too, that way we won't have to save them every time."

I thought that through, then smiled. It was like a video game that didn't progress unless you did the key events. I could take all the time I wanted to do the side quests, and never have to worry about time.

"Well now," I murmured. "Isn't that interesting? Why don't we start with a 'helping' day, Tael?"

"Why not, you've already got the Great Fairy to help."

And so in the form of a Hylian boy with various concerns about time forgotten, I stepped back out into the dawn of the first day.

As this was identical to the last set of three days, and to all the following sets, I knew the Great Fairy had been shattered again, and that all but one Stray Fairy had made its way back, that last one found in the laundry pool.

I found almost immediately that the crowds reacted much better to me wandering through. I had no need to avoid being kicked over by people who didn't look down, no one ignored squeaked 'excuse me's when it was said by a human voice instead, and though at times I still had to push my way through, it was a significant improvement from my treatment as a Deku Scrub. I wasn't remarkable at all. Which was somewhat of a novelty.

Tael was not impressed however.

"You could just fly over again," he told me, hovering beside my ear to be heard.

"You saw the reaction-"

"I know, I know," he sighed. "It'd draw attention, and we don't want that."

"If it bothers you that much, next time we start over I'll do it as myself and we'll see what happens."

"I'm alright with your choice of form now I understand, it's just I want to see everyone's jaws drop when they see this boy in green lounging in mid-air as he goes about his business."

"Don't think I haven't been tempted before," I chuckled, escaping the crowds to take the route down to the relatively quieter laundry pool, which was exactly how I remembered it. The Stray Fairy hovered above the water, which was _still_ out of my reach. And this time while I could swim, I couldn't skim the water.

I had to come up with an alternative solution, so while I took to the bench nearby and decided now was a good time to re-arm myself, restoring the Kokiri sword and a sheath the Goddesses had given it on my return from Hyrule's future, putting the shield back in place and generally feeling much better for knowing that I looked like a Hero again. It was a stupid reason, but after having been a relatively harmless Deku Scrub, I needed it.

The Stray Fairy during all of this, floated up to the other end of the stream, though still above it. I followed, and it flew to the far side, then back downstream again. Again I followed and it found somewhere else to be.

I sighed, then reached back with my mind to ensure no one was coming. "Alright," I said. "We do this my way then." And rose up. Though it wasn't necessary, Tael moved to keep watch in case anyone was coming, while I joined the startled fairy. "You do want to get back to the other Stray Fairies waiting for you, don't you?" I asked it. It apparently decided to come with me, since it followed when I returned to solid ground.

"And you weren't going to show off," Tael told me in mock admonishment.

"I was trying not to. You know, this doesn't feel right to me," I grumbled.

"What, being human?"

"Right. When you saw it before, it was just an image, I was my normal self underneath."

"Wait, you're – I mean some of you would have stuck out and been visible."

"Yeah, don't ask me how it worked, alright? I just know it does. Anyway, this time..." I paused and looked myself over again. It was still familiar, but actually _being_ Hylian still felt different. "I don't know. Maybe it's because I've got no fur like this. Bare arms and legs... I kinda feel naked without any fur."

"You're young. You'll be fine," Tael said offhand. "Remember the way?"

"Don't be silly, of course I do. And we still have Tingle's map."

"We do?"

"Of course, I saw it in my pouch while I was getting everything out again. By the looks of it, anything in there is kept safe. Even the last of the Deku Nuts we found are still in there."

"Shame your savings in the bank weren't saved," he remarked.

I decided as he made the remark that I had to find out for sure. Since I regularly stored the ocarina in the same pouch, maybe the same effect I'd extend to the Great Fairy would also be on the rupees? We made a side trip up through the west of town where I patronized the bank once again, finding that, yes, I already had an account open under the name of Silver, with the exact amount I'd put in before. Somehow, it'd been saved.

To avoid seeming strange I made a little addition to the account while I was there before I moved on, passing the Bomber who I'd caught in this part of town before. When I reached the north gate I spotted the crazy lunatic Tingle and Jim, one hanging from a balloon, the other trying to shoot a balloon down. The various children both Deku and human were playing, but there was no gaggle of gawking Scrubs this time.

Once the Great Fairy had been restored a second time, reappearing the same way, she simply reached down and touched the Ocarina of Time in my hand.

"That's all I needed," she told me. "Or have we had this conversation already? I'm afraid I don't remember the last time, if there was a last time."

"There was," I confirmed. "You lifted the block on my mind that came from being forced into Deku form, told me I should stop by the Observatory, and to come restore you again and use the Ocarina to make sure you'd be preserved next time I play the Song of Time."

The Great Fairy leaned back, considering this, then nodded. "Yes, that sounds about right to me. Well, as thanks and to help you help my sisters, take this," she told me, extending her hand again. In the palm of it was a mask that resembled her. "The Great Fairy's mask. When worn, pay attention to the hair, as it will shimmer if there is a Stray Fairy nearby. It will also make them recognise you as a friend, coming to you if they can instead of staying warily away."

"Now that's useful," Tael remarked as I took the mask and tucked it safely away.

"Indeed," she agreed. "Now Silver, I've more advice for you, which sounds strange since I don't remember giving you advice before, but you did say so, so there. I suggest you visit the Observatory again, and make sure when you leave you still have the same form you do now. I won't spoil what happens, but bring the item you obtain to me – the one you'll get when you leave – and I'll help you yet again. If you should choose to dedicate time to helping people, you'll find it exceptionally helpful, even pointing out things you wouldn't normally be aware of."

"And what'd I say?" Tael said smugly. "Helping people is gonna pay off for sure. You do remember the Bomber's code, don't you? Or are we gonna have to play with them again?"

"24315," I answered. "Thanks for your help and advice, Great Fairy. I'll give you your Hylian sisters regards again, since you probably don't remember that either, but I ought to get to work. I've only got three days to help as many people as I can before it's Heroing time again."


	11. Bomber's Notebook

With the Great Fairy restored and her advice guiding me once more, we skipped playing with the Bombers and went directly to the unlucky Bomber guarding the entrance to the underground route, who accepted the code that we shouldn't have known without questioning how we knew it. It did save time, however.

Once down there I retraced the same route I had before. Rather than skipping over the water I decided I was going to have to get to grips a bit more with this new form, judging that I could probably get across by leaping from platform to platform.

I managed the first one alright, then missed slightly on the second and ended up soaking wet with a grazed knee, a sore jaw, and a merrily laughing fairy who – eventually – reminded me I had an alternative available. One that could be used to make sure it looked perfectly natural. After that little incident, I wasn't going to argue. Being human was not as easy as it looked.

The Skulltula was back, of course, but this time it only took two blows from the old faithful Kokiri sword, jabbed into its vulnerable belly. Sometimes I really do wonder why they present it. Following its renewed demise we encountered the formidable security of a balloon and a maze of crates. Once I lifted myself up on top of the crates I used them to get around, searching around at the other side for a small rock I could use with the slingshot to handle the balloon. The ease of these simple tasks was definitely more obvious now I'd experienced it from the Deku side.

After talking to the old astronomer once more I got to look through the telescope and, yes, see Skull Kid moon me once again as another Moon's Tear fell. What I needed this for this time was beyond me, since the Great Fairy hadn't mentioned it. It was what I'd get as I left again that she'd made special note of.

On the way back I chose _not_ to try and test myself again, and just flew over instead. Trying to beat yourself up on solid stone tends to make a very good argument. As I left though, I heard voices. Familiar voices.

"...didn't know!" That was the guard Bomber. "He told me it perfectly, I just thought you'd told him."

"I don't even know him," Jim's voice said. He didn't sound annoyed at all, more amazed. "The others say they've seen him about just today, but that's all."

"Maybe not playing with them was a mistake," I murmured, then pretending not to have heard I headed out and feigned ignorance.

"Hey – that's him!" the guard Bomber exclaimed as I went past. Jim quickly ran around in front of me.

"Hey you!" he called. "Wait up! How'd you know our secret code, mister?"

"Well..." I started, then had an idea. "You wouldn't believe me if I told you."

"Try me."

"Alright, you did ask. I know, because I saw you tell me."

"I never did!"

"Right, because it didn't happen. But I saw it as if it had happened. Which means even though it didn't, I still knew it, because if it had happened, it would have meant I'd have earned it."

Jim's expression creased as he tried to wind his way through that. I wasn't even sure I'd got it to come out right, and the sense of curiosity I picked up from Tael suggested he wasn't doing much better either.

"So, what you're saying is," he said slowly. "That somehow, you met me, earned the right to join the Bombers, and got told our code. And you saw all that happening. But it didn't happen, you just saw it happen as if it had happened."

Now I had to stop to think and figure my way through that. Isn't playing with time fun?

"Yes, that sounds about right to me," I agreed.

Jim shared a look with the guard Bomber, then nodded and said, "Well, if you earned it, you earned it! Here, take this – all us Bombers have one," he told me, handing me a notebook. "Every time you help someone, you gotta write it down in there – that's the the Bomber's Secret Society of Justice is all about! Make sure you write our secret code down so you don't forget it, too!"

Then he darted off without another word, probably heading back to shoot down the balloon again.

The Bomber's notebook was empty except for the first line which had a picture of Jim, next to which I scrawled down the code with a handy pen that came with it. After finding a bench nearby and examining it in more detail I decided this was going to be perfect for noting down events and what time they happened, splitting it into three columns, one for each day.

"Useful, but maybe you should have asked the Great Fairy what she wanted to do first?" Tael suggested. "She did say to bring it to her."

"One thing at a time, Tael. Unless we notice something between now and tonight, the first thing we'll be doing is persuading Sakon not to become a thief, so there's no need to hurry. What time do you make it?"

Tael flew up high enough to see the Clock Tower over everyone else. "Just gone half ten," he replied. "Mayor's residence opens in about half an hour, if you're curious."

"Maybe later. Right now we'll visit the Great Fairy and see what she says."

That turned out to be one of the most useful things I ever did, as it happened. The Great Fairy, still lounging above her fountain unlike her Hylian sisters, took the notebook off me, tapped it twice causing a bright blue glow to surround it briefly, then returned it wordlessly.

I looked inside to see what was different. Where before it had contained only the entry for the Bombers, now it had a number of other pictures in them – some blurry and not quite visible, others clear. Along the top between my spaced lines were lesser ones denoting the time of day, and for some of the entries there were marks at a specific time.

"The portraits will become clearer as you come closer to being able to help or meet that individual," she explained, seeing my curiosity. "And the marks... well, mark key events. They will fill themselves in as you meet each of them, so on subsequent trips back in time you will know what takes place then."

"I don't think I can thank you enough for this, Great Fairy," I told her. "This is going to be very useful."

"Yes, I thought so too. Good thing I had the help I needed from the other local Great Fairies before Skull Kid shattered us all."

"All?" Tael exclaimed. "You mean he got the other ones too?"

"Just this morning," she nodded. "You will find one in each of the four areas outside town. I can only tell so much from here, but I can tell you the Stray Fairies for each can be found in the four Dungeons in which Skull Kid sealed the four Guardians. Each of them will have their own entry in that notebook – see the last page to find it. It will tell you how many Stray Fairies you must find, and how many you have located already. Now do go Silver, you have much to do even if you don't plan on saving one of the Guardians today."

"Trying to get rid of me already?" I quipped as I left, still looking over the notebook.

I paused once again outside, perching on a nearby fence while I looked through. There were six clear portraits right now, some of which I recognised. According to the marks, at midnight on the first night, the old lady I recognised from the Bomb Shop had an event – that had to be the theft by Sakon, which I intended to prevent.

Next was a strange looking individual I was sure I hadn't seen at all. The mark for him appeared on all three nights between midnight and dawn and had no text, but a small picture showing a curious mushroom-shaped rock.

"I've seen those on Termina Field," Tael said. "Maybe it's a hint about where to find him? If that's a him, it's hard to tell from that. We can go looking for him after the Bomb lady."

"And then go see this weird looking guy," I added, pointing to the next clear portrait. He reminded me of the guy who was in Kakariko Windmill, only he had more hair. Maybe they were related? The mark for him showed what was undoubtedly the laundry pool, and was down for all night on the first and second nights.

"What about them?" Tael asked, flying by the next one that showed two twin girls. "I recognise them – they're part of the Gorman Troupe. They're here performing every year at the carnival."

"And they're marked for the same time that guy at the laundry pool is too," I noted. "Looks like the the place just inside the west gate to me. We'll have to pay them a visit too. I think that's all though."

"Keep leafing through, maybe there's another."

I did just that, finding on the next page an emaciated and rather depressed looking guy with a mohawk. His entry showed several little chicks, and appeared to be marked for all day, every day.

"Hey, this one looks a bit like you," Tael remarked, spotting one of the last entries before the four remaining Great Fairies. "In your other form, I mean the... what'd you call it?"

"Hedgehog," I said absently, looking at the portrait. "That's Blaze the Cat... but what's she doing in Termina? There's no time on this entry either, but that's got to be the Stock Pot Inn, I recognise it from when we were chasing the Bombers."

"Maybe we should ask there, see if they know when she's gonna arrive?"

"Yeah... definitely. It'll be good to see a familiar – and friendly – face again. I think we can do these in a better order too. No idea where this mohawk guy is, but he'll be there every day."

"Well don't just sit there, we can debate the order on the way to the Inn," Tael told me. "You know, I'm gonna have to find something else to call you. I can't call you Deku boy now you're not a Deku full-time."

"You could just call me Silver, you know."

"What, and let you keep calling me fairy boy? Not on your life!"

Though he didn't settle on a new nickname for me on the way through town, we did decide on who we'd see when. The guy in the laundry pool came first, followed by the two sisters from the Gorman Troupe. Then we'd stop the robbery, see the strange guy on Termina Field, and try to figure out where the mohawk guy was.

That was, of course, assuming we could actually help them in that order.

Stock Pot Inn was a quiet place near the east gate. It had only three rooms and offered room service, but people appeared to be put off staying right now because the Gorman Troupe had rented two of the rooms and were practising for their parts in the Carnival.

I had to wait for a few moments at the front desk before the attending lady showed up, apologising profusely.

"It's alright, really," I cut across it. "I'd just like to ask-"

"Is it about a room?" she asked. "I'm... afraid we're all booked up right now."

"Well, it is about a room, but not for me. One of my friends told me she'd be staying, and I was wondering if you knew when she'd arrive. Name of Blaze."

"Blaze?" she repeated. "Now that you mention it I recall a letter with that name..." she leafed through bits of paper, reading some and discarding others, then produced one that was clearly not written in Hylian, except for a few notes around the edges. "Had to get someone to translate it for me. Very strange language. "Says here she'll be arriving... early tomorrow morning. Only a single room I'm afraid, so no room for guests."

"Oh, don't worry about that. Just good to know when she'll be here. I said I'd meet her you see. Thanks for this."

"You're quite welcome. I hope she isn't put off by the sight of the moon."

"Knowing her, she'd try to do something about it instead," I laughed, leaving.

"Except it's your job instead," Tael murmured. "So now you know when she'll get here. Does that really help us at all?"

"It makes me feel better, at least. Think we'll head on down to the laundry pool and wait. Probably take the opportunity to have a wash too, I think."

"Why? You're not dirty at all. Bit of a bruise where you knocked yourself up earlier, but nothing that needs a clean."

"Probably just a habit. Navi used to nag me about that as well."

"Well, I'm not Navi, and you're not dirty and you also don't stink, so there's no need."

"How can I argue with that?" I murmured, picking my way back into the crowds again.

* * *

**A/N:** And for those of you who seem to insist I give our sulking aquatically challenged blue friend a story of his own... well, I hadn't planned on doing a Wind Waker one - after all, it doesn't fit on the timeline I've been using - but I'm sure I can find a way. He just probably won't be expecting it.


	12. Mask Collector

**A/N: **For the curious, the reason I chose to go with Tael instead of Tatl is because Tael is one of the most under-developed characters I've ever seen. He's seen in only a handful of cutscenes and aside from prompting Tatl to direct Link to the four Guardians, doesn't really do anything. I know Zelda games are filled with characters like this, but c'mon - he needs some love too.

Besides, the way he and Silver relate to each other is much more interesting. They'll dip between their original dislike and their more friendly attitudes epending on what goes on, but other than that you'll have to see what he gets up to yourself.

* * *

Since the Laundry Pool was quiet, out of the way, and I'd spent the past three days getting by in shorter sleep than usual, I fell back on an old habit and climbed the lone tree to nap until evening. Tael did try to persuade me to teach him a bit of psychokinesis again, but I'd already decided that this time, maybe it was worth keeping it to myself. After what the Majora's Mask had done to me despite my own strength, what could it do to Tael?

I was woken not long after the sun set by the sound of someone playing music on a small music box. One that is – coincidentally – identical to the one owned by the man running the Kakariko Windmill, and even playing the same song. Though in far better tune than what I'd heard before.

Since he thought me just a child, when I dropped down to see what I was supposed to do to help him, he appeared to have no problems confessing something to me.

I'll spare you the long-winded confession he had. It boiled down to the fact that he was jealous of a dog with a mask that lead a previous troupe he'd been with, and because of that he stole it. He then decided as some kind of strange penance to give it to me, as he no longer needed it, telling me it was known as the Bremen Mask after the troupe, and noted that the members of the troupe always seemed to mature into adults quicker.

The Bremen Mask looked like a white bird, the wings reaching back to rest over my ears, the beak over my nose. He insisted I try it on there and then, and then suggested if I had a musical instrument he could teach me the song that went with it. He had to open his music box and tweak it a bit to get it to play a tune that sounded distinctly like a parade, but passed it on with the mask.

Suitably disturbed by how willing he'd been to confide in what must have seemed to him like a random passing boy, but with a new mask in hand, I left him to reminisce and practice... if that applies, since his music box did all the work.

Clock Town by night was much quieter. I decided quickly I could get to like it like this. Previously narrow alleyways became much easier to go through, allowing me to actually see the town I was passing through as I headed up to the west gate.

The two sisters I'd seen in the Bomber's Notebook were here with a small band nearby, apparently trying to decide not only on a tune, but a dance to go with it. They were, I soon learned, the Rosa Sisters and not normally prone to this kind of trouble. Unfortunately for them, I didn't have either music or dance to help them, and without that they stopped just short of rudeness when approached.

Although I hardly needed it I also stopped by the lottery nearby and inquired within. While they'd never have let a Deku Scrub play, they appeared to let me play. Was there no age limit for human children, for gods sake? I'd missed today's lottery anyway, but on the way out noted down that today's lotto number had been 934. Assuming that was also going to be repeated, if I needed a relatively quick boost to funds I could make use of that.

"Isn't that a bit... immoral?" Tael asked quietly as I crossed the plaza outside, heading for the gate.

"If they're immoral enough to have a lottery and let a kid like me play, they deserve it," I replied. "Besides, I told you – Heroing generally pays for itself. I'm only going to use it if we need it. What _are_ you doing?" I asked the guard, who was blocking my path.

"I'm sorry little boy, but without your parents I can't-" he stopped in mid-sentence, then said, "A sword?" He straightened up then and saluted. "Forgive me sir. It was wrong of me to treat you like a child. The ocean lies this way. Please take care."

"Who, me? Tell that to any monster stupid enough to get into my way," I snorted. The guard smiled briefly, but otherwise merely stood aside to let me pass. "Honestly, 'treat you like a child' indeed!" I muttered irritably after. "What does he take me for?"

"A child, obviously," Tael observed. "Not many children have anything more than a toy sword and shield though. You've got the real thing, and that's bound to make people realise you're more mature than you look. Anyway, I thought we were going to stop the robbery next?"

"Yeah, we've still got the better part of six hours before that. It's still not long after nightfall, and the weird dude out here should be around. Where did you see these rock-mushrooms of yours?"

"Go north," he told me. "They're in the snowy part of the field. Are you going to fly again?" he asked hopefully.

"Only if the monster life gets too much for me to handle," I replied. "It's been a while since I've been in a decent fight, and since I'm going to be doing it a lot more for the Guardians, I ought to get in practice."

Naturally, he was disappointed again.

Termina field, while it has more monster life than the more immense Hyrule Field, was still relatively quite. Jelly-like Chus blobbed around various clumps of bushes, and like the Chus I'd met once before they occasionally pulled themselves back together again after a time.

These only appeared on the raised area around Clock Town itself. Lower down were areas that represented the nearby areas – a sandy beach area to the west where like the sands around the Desert Colossus had Leevers try to jump out on the unwary and in the snowy north a new creature Tael identified as an Eeno.

Eeno looked to me like animated snow, gathering it up and throwing it at me. I watched with amusement for a time until one caught me that had a rock inside, after which I leapt down and took my sword to them through the barrage.

During that little fight I'd used some rock pillars as cover, only to find after everything was peaceful again that these were the mushrooms we'd been looking for, and one of them not only had a curious tune coming from it, but had the sense of a more ethereal presence on it.

To keep Tael content I flew up on top to find the pearly translucent spirit of a man dancing on top, whistling the tune. He appeared to pay me no attention.

"Can I help you?" I asked the spirit tentatively. "Something you need done?"

The spirit paused, staring at me, then spoke in a hollow voice that sounded as if it was coming from a long way off.

"I am no longer part of the living," he told me.

"We noticed," Tael muttered.

"My sadness left to the moon."

"That's not all you've left it."

"Do you mind?" I asked Tael.

"What? I'm just trying to lighten things a bit."

"Never mind him," I told the spirit. "Go on."

"I had no chance to leave my dance to the world and am filled with regret."

"Shame you're not filled with life too then," Tael added.

"Oh, hush. Why not teach me your dance?"

The spirit was unmoved.

"Silver, remember what the creepy Mask man said? That song he taught you, soothing troubled spirits. Well, this guy looks like a spirit, and he looks like he's got unfinished business. Maybe you gotta play the song."

I didn't quite agree with his reasoning, but it had to be worth a try. The Ocarina, to my relief, did not change back into the Deku Pipes again. They would any time I was a Deku – and the Hylian mask aside, also for the other two mask-granted forms – but not for me.

What I came to know as the Song of Healing was hardly complex, but it appeared to have an effect. The spirit began to dance, whistling his tune once again and as he did so I _knew_ the way it had to go. Not just to be whistled or danced, but both together with a band. Somehow with the song's magic, the spirit was passing the entire thing to me.

When he was done he took a bow and faded out. In his place was another mask, this one looking much like him.

"I leave my dance with you," the spirit's voice told me. "Take the mask of the spirit dancer Kamaro and wear it that others may know what I gave you."

This, of course, was exactly what I needed for the Rosa Sisters. Before I went back to town I had a quick look around the rest of the field, finding creatures Tael called Real Bombchu's outside the canyon, little rat-like creatures with a bomb on their tail and a suicidal approach to battle – they ran at me and exploded as soon as they were close enough.

To the south where the entrance to the swamp and Milk Road, leading to Romani Ranch, lay there were Deku Scrubs and Babas, Guays and a lone Tokkuri – thieving bird that could and would try to steal anything. Much like a recently revealed Hero, I understand.

Tael also told me that during the day Dodongos could be found where the Eenos roamed at night, but other than that Termina Field was a rather quiet place, so we headed back.

I had to have a few words with the Rosa Sisters' band so they'd play the right song, then with Kamaro's Mask I danced his song for them. Probably better than I should have, because I suspect his spirit was in his mask guiding my steps. On the second run through the dance the sisters joined in, picking it up quickly.

I got a few amused looks from the gate guard as he watched the three of us do Kamaro's dance, but I paid him little attention after the 'child' remark.

For my trouble the Rosa Sisters thanked me profusely, promised to practice until they had it perfect, and made me insist I come to see their performance, even going so far to call me Sensei for it. What could I say to that except yes?

Of course, I'd have to re-teach them the song on subsequent passes, but that was a minor thing. At least with the mask it wouldn't take so long.

That just left the robbery and the stranger with the chicks, who I suspected I'd find over at the ranch. Since the robbery was marked down at exactly midnight tonight, that came first.

Once again I perched in a tree just opposite the gate and took a nap. I think I mentioned it before, but in Termina at least I regularly made sure I got some sleep rather than just bulling through. Did me the world of good, and of course I knew if things got too tiring, I could just spend three days resting and play the Song of Time.

North Clock Town was nice and peaceful by night, even more so than the rest of town. The playground lay empty, the Bombers were off in bed, and even Tingle had – thankfully – found somewhere else to be. Only the gate guard and I were actually present but for the Great Fairy in her fountain, and after I caught a curious sense of Dekus and investigated, an underground place called the Deku Playground where Deku Scrubs could play games to earn prizes. Since I wasn't a Deku at the time, I got thrown out again.

Since I had time to spare, I waited near the hole in the ground leading in, watching until the Deku Scrubs inside were out of sight, then got out the Deku Mask. I wasn't entirely comfortable with the idea of changing forms in front of the gate guard, but then who'd believe him if he went around telling people he saw a boy turn into a Deku?

Before I put on the Deku Mask I reached up around my head and felt around. There was no sign of my Hylian face being a mask at all, but when I thought about removing the mask my fingers found what felt like a tiny edge, and after another uncomfortable moment I was sat on the ground in my own form, the Hylian Mask in my hands. Removing these kind of masks was thankfully simple.

Although reluctantly, I then put on the Deku Mask. I hoped the Mask man was right and that I would be able to remove it, going through the change once again. I didn't see the field of Deku Scrubs this time, but I did change back into the familiar form of the Silverwood Scrub.

The gate guard looked very much like he was trying not to think about what he'd just seen. I suppose really I don't blame him, but it did persuade me it was probably a better idea to do my form-changing someplace out of sight so I didn't upset people.

Now I was a Deku Scrub I was let in, given a special rate because of my special status among the Deku. I paid twenty instead of the usual forty rupees, letting me use one Deku flower to go to any number of floating platforms that also had flowers on, given two minutes to try and collect as many of the similarly floating rupees as I could.

No, I didn't cheat. I do have some morals, you know.

I played several times until they politely asked me not to keep going lest I put them out of business, so as a gesture of kindness I let them have my winnings back. I could always get more, after all.

Then I left them to it, turned back into a Hylian (The gate guard made a point of looking away entirely this time) and settled back down to wait.


	13. Meeting Blaze

At eleven that night, I spotted Sakon enter North Clock town and conceal himself in the now deserted playground, warily looking about and jumping at the slightest sound. Like many, he forgot to look up and kept his lookout to just the paths running through this part of town.

I considered what I was going to do to him when the theft happened. There'd be no point in harming him, not in front of a gate guard. That'd only get me in trouble too, and I had better things to be doing than breaking out of a jail cell.

All I really had to do was to get his attention and prevent him from making a clean enough getaway that meant I'd warranted the visit on the second night. I could do something to him to prevent the robbery entirely, but as selfish as it sounds, the Bomber's Notebook so far hadn't been wrong about getting rewards for my actions, and ideally I needed to help the old lady.

So I waited patiently in my tree until midnight came and the guard stood aside to let her in. Two burly Gorons appeared to have accompanied her to town, but at the gate she thanked them, settled an account with them, then they turned, rolled up and headed back wherever they'd come from.

Sakon, in his concealment, started to pay closer attention. I made sure, just in case anyone was looking, I looked like just a kid sleeping in a tree, quietly telling Tael not to attract any attention. The old lady headed down the path from the gate, not taking the south path but turning toward the east of town. Did she have a place she wanted to go before getting back to the shop? If there were thieves about other than Sakon, she'd be better to go to the shop first.

Sakon emerged from his concealment with a look of complete innocence about him as he headed to the path then down toward her, showing no sign at all of what he had in mind. I stopped looking so sleepy and rose up above the tree, taking care not to make too much sound.

Right beside the mailbox half-way down the path they met. Sakon struck her to the ground, snatched the bag off her back and started to run. The old lady made the same call the gate guard had when Sakon tried to sell the contents to me.

I did note however the gate guard here did not move to intercept, so I got myself in position and dropped to the ground right before Sakon. The sight of a boy dropping apparently out of the sky unharmed startled him, causing him to stumble back.

Then I drew my sword, bringing with it a steely hiss and the words, "Put down the bag and step away from it."

Sakon bolted around me instead. I lunged for him, correcting my aim just slightly with my mind to tackle him to the ground.

"Be careful with those goods!" the old lady called after us. I made a point of separating Sakon from them by rapping the flat of the sword on his hands. He must have been running on nerves because he looked as if he thought I'd stabbed them instead.

Once I'd got them away I pressed down on him mentally without actually harming him, preventing him from getting up, then dragging him a little way away and sat on him.

"Now we're going to just wait here," I told him conversationally. "And if you try anything, I'm going to find out where your last meal is right now. I don't have a good idea of what someone's insides look like – I favour beating up monsters, you know – but I'm sure it can't be too hard, and it'd be educational. Imagine how good it will feel, knowing you've taught me something about people's insides? But if you'd rather not help me, just stay right there until the guards get here and they'll take you away where you'll be perfectly safe from my educational interests."

Sakon by now looked thoroughly spooked. I suppose given what I said, it's not surprising.

The old lady came to join me, a tiny hunched figure without her bag that appeared to have no trouble at all lifting the large lumpy bag back on her back, only before she did so she took out what thought for a moment was a bomb.

"Oh, don't worry," she told me. "I just wanted to thank you for helping me out. This is the Blast Mask – a bit dangerous, but very useful. Wear it and you'll be able to make it explode. Maybe you could use it to throw your own fireworks festival? Do come by the shop tomorrow, won't you?"

"Of course," I answered, trying not to show how I felt about this. A mask that explodes. On my face. I suppose if I really needed an explosion and didn't have any bombs around, it _might_ be useful. It wasn't something I was entirely keen on.

I examined it as she left, finding it was almost like a hollow bomb that would rest over my face like certain other masks. It was the same colour as a bomb and had a skull symbol for a face, the eye-sockets of the skull being where I looked out.

What was more interesting about it though was the sense of magic's presence about it. Of course, quite a few of the masks I obtained over this adventure had the same sense, but this one seemed interesting. If it was something like a spell in mask-form, perhaps I could... alter its effect. The same way I did Din's Fire and the other Hylian spells.

I certainly wasn't going to try to experiment with it here though, stowing it away to wait for the guards to finally turn up – the same ones who'd arrested him before, by strange coincidence. They looked rather amused that a grown man looked absolutely terrified of me, sat on his chest with an almost dreamy smile, and even more amused when he tried to tell them I'd threatened to cut him open.

"You're cruel," Tael told me after they'd gone.

"Who, me?" I smiled, heading back toward my tree. "I'd never have actually done it, you know."

"Try telling that to him. Did you see the look of abject terror he had?"

"Of course I did. Made it worthwhile. Think I'm gonna go back to sleep for the rest of the night. We'll go stop by the bomb shop in the morning, see Blaze arrive at some point in the day, then go off to Romani Ranch. I'll check the notebook again to see if there's anyone else we can help, then I'll play the Song of Time and we'll head to the swamp."

"Do you really need to see your friend arrive? I mean, she'll only arrive again every second day, right? So unless you actually need her..."

"I'm going to see her. At the very least to let her know I'm here," I told him. "She may not remember it once we revert time, but I'm going to see her. Now I think I'm going to go to sleep."

* * *

Since my original bomb bag had been taken from me along with much of the rest of my Hero's toolkit when I was done Heroing in Hyrule, buying them again was an unavoidable necessity. Having saved the supply that had been brought in from being stolen however meant that they stocked a bigger bomb bag for only ninety rupees, cut down to seventy for me after my brave, if somewhat unsettling, actions that night. This gave me a bag full with thirty bombs right away, though like other bomb bags I only ever saw the first one in there. They lit themselves when removed, and I know for sure it wasn't by magic. I still haven't figured it out.

With that acquisition made I headed back to the other side of town and went through the inn so as not to be seen flying, just so I could make my way up on to the thickly thatched roof I'd caught one of the Bombers on. It gave me a commanding view of the area, and since Blaze had yet to arrive it also meant I'd be almost guaranteed to notice her.

I didn't actually have long to wait. I caught the sense of her mind long before I actually saw her, heading for the west gate. When I went off to look, the gate guard apparently having been told I was allowed through or just noticing the sword, I saw on the horizon a ship moored up out to sea, and a longboat being rowed back to it. Blaze herself was heading through the sandy area, ignoring the Leevers unless they got too close, then she incinerated them while also dancing clear with her usual acrobatic grace. She didn't really _need_ any help as such, but I felt maybe that'd be the best way to approach her. I kinda overlooked the fact that as far as Termina was concerned, I was still human.

Even so, I made my way down toward the beach area, drawing my sword in one hand and with the other reaching into the bag for another of the Hyrule spells – none other than Din's Fire. It'd definitely get her attention.

I didn't bother to avoid the Leevers that went for me though, instead I stabbed them and kicked them off my blade. Somehow they decided it wasn't such a good idea to attack me after that.

Blaze and I met somewhere in the middle, with Leevers by now keeping a wary distance from our flame-wielding duo.

"You're quite the remarkable one, aren't you?" she observed without preamble.

"Who, me? Nah. I'm nothing special, just your average apparently human boy with a magic spell," I answered, holding up Din's Fire, then blasting a nearby Leever into oblivion.

"Apparently human?" she asked suspiciously.

"I'll explain when I've seen you safely escorted to town. Can't expect me to let a lady go on her own, can I?"

"I don't need an escort, boy. What's your name, anyway?"

"Oh, did I forget that? I'm Silver."

"Silver, huh?" she said, not convinced in the slightest. "Well, since you're here you can tag along, Silver. I'm Blaze."

"I know," I said. "I saw your letter to the Stock Pot Inn. That's how I knew where to find you."

"Do you really have to go through this?" Tael asked me plaintively. Blaze stared at him, apparently not quite believing what she was seeing. Tael stared back. "What, have I got something on my face?"

"Ah, yeah," I said. "This is Tael. We're not friends, we're just helping each other. Right Fairy boy?"

"Stop calling me that!"

"But you are," I persisted.

"If you keep this up Silver I'll come up with another name you hate even more than Deku boy," he threatened.

"See what I mean?" I grinned to Blaze.

"Children," she sighed, leading the way back to town. "You know kid, I used to know someone called Silver."

"Let me guess, he was a silver hedgehog that travelled time and had psychokinetic powers?" I suggested. Blaze stopped and rounded on me again.

"Alright, just how do you know that?"

"I really don't know," I replied, then taking an idea from Tael, leaned over and just lounged in mid-air.

"Finally," Tael murmured.

"You can't be Silver. You're not-"

"A hedgehog? Yeah, long story. Lets go get your room and I'll explain it. I don't like to change in front of other people, but you'll probably want to see."

"Change? What are you, some kind of were-human?"

"Like I said, long story. Try not to let the moon put you off, by the way," I added, settling back to the ground.

"Seen it already," she shrugged. "Half the people on that ship think it's going to fall, the other half don't. I'm going to see to it that one half is right."

"No, you're not. That's my job."

Blaze almost stopped again. "You said what?"

"I said it's my job. I'm a hero, this is a land in peril. Besides, thanks to Fairy boy here-"

"Hey!"

"-I know exactly what to do to solve it, and I can do it all in three days or less. Sort of."

"You know what?" Blaze said. "I'm just not going to ask any more. If you want my help come look me up, but just..."

"Yeah, problem with that. You won't remember sometimes. This is the second of the three days, and when it gets too late I go back in time to do some more. I can protect some stuff from it, but I don't think it'll work on you. If you write yourself a note or something though, I can protect that and just show it to you, you can read it even though you don't remember and everything will be fine."

"Do you have any idea how annoying it is trying to talk to you when you're talking about time travel, Silver?" she asked. "It's almost impossible. You get 'Now', 'Then' and 'Sometime Next Week' all mixed up with each other."

"As soon as you find me a better way of talking about it, I'll be happy to," I told her.

I think she gave up at that point. I can't say I blame her. Whether or not she believed me at this point was debatable.

At any rate, I accompanied her back into town where, as you'd imagine, she got more than a few strange looks. She took her room at the Inn, while I headed upstairs to the rooms to wait. She soon joined me, unlocking the door. It wasn't the best hotel room in the world, but it had been the only one available, Blaze explained.

She steadfastly refused to explain what she was doing in Termina beyond trying to steal my job from me, and just as similarly refused to be convinced I was really myself – right up until the point I removed the Hylian Mask.

"That's better," I sighed, more for the look of it than any real relief. Being human once used to it wasn't so bad. "So Blaze. Believe me now?"

"Let me get this straight. You put on that mask and become a human. You put on another one and you become a... what did you call it?"  
"Deku Scrub," I supplied.

"Right. And you take them off again to become yourself. How do I know that's not just a mask too?"

"Blaze, you and I right now are the only ones like us in all Termina. There's another over in Hyrule, not that I'm too concerned about that jerk."

* * *

"Oh, thanks," Scourge said.

"Shut up," Sonic told him. "Anyway, it's true. Go on, Silver."

* * *

"But other than him," I continued, "We're the only ones. You arrived today and I only arrived yesterday. No one's had time to make a mask of either of us."

"This... Deku form," she said thoughtfully. "Mind showing me that too?"

"Do I have to?" I asked plaintively. "I don't like that form."

"You wanted me to write a note to myself so you wouldn't have to go through this again, so if you want me to explain that to myself, you'll have to show me." She stopped and sighed. "I sound like you. I don't know how you manage to keep things straight, talking about time."

"With a headache, sometimes," I answered, reluctantly putting on the Deku Mask again. Blaze very clearly tried not to laugh at me. "I'm the only one you'll probably see like this," I told her, trying to ignore it. "Other Deku Scrubs are brown, not silver. I don't know what it means yet."

"Yes you do," Tael said. "It means you're a Silverwood Scrub, whatever that means."

"Exactly – I know it means that, I just don't know what that means."

"Are you sure you to don't want to be friends?" Blaze asked. "You get along so well."

"Friends with Deku boy?" Tael said. "In his wooden dreams!"

"Feeling's mutual, Fairy boy," I squeaked back, then changed back again.


	14. Cucco Time

Before I left Clock Town for Romani Ranch, I glanced back into the Bombers' Notebook to see if my actions had cleared up any more of the magically added entries, and though some of them were clearer, there were none clear enough that I could help them just yet.

A few enquires told me that Tingle was last seen heading toward Milk Road, a path leading from South-west Termina Field to Romani Ranch. Since he stayed in the air by means of a balloon, it wasn't surprising to find he'd been blown that way by a change in the wind.

While I wasn't keen on finding the self-proclaimed fairy again, he _did_ do maps, and I needed at least a map of Termina Field, if not a separate one for Milk Road itself. I rather hoped not, since from what I gathered it wasn't considered part of the main field itself.

Despite the fact that it was raining once again, as it always did throughout the second day, I headed out on to the field and once I was sure there was no one else looking, borrowed Nayru's Love to create a barrier above myself that kept most of it off me. I used it rather than just my mind on its own because it was easier.

Milk Road was only a short path that also lead to the Gorman Racetrack, and was also the only way to reach Romani Ranch given that a massive boulder blocked the way with a lone workman trying to break it up without much success.

A handy rock provided my slingshot with ammunition to shoot down Tingle, who went through his routine again as he didn't recognise me. He did not however decide to give me a free map this time, so I was obliged to spent sixty rupees on a map of the field, Milk Road, Gorman Racetrack and Romani Ranch all in one.

Since the gates of the Gorman Racetrack were securely locked and the boulder blocked the direct route, the only way Tael and I were going to reach the ranch were by alternative means. Which would, ordinarily, mean getting noticed. Except now we had a tool for that.

The Inverted Song of Time also took me a few attempt to play correctly since it was, compared to the original song, also played incorrectly. It's hard to deliberately play a song wrong. When it took effect though what sunlight there was became dimmed slightly, the rain fell noticeably slower, my barrier against it vanished, and a passing bird seemed to become very lazy.

I may be used to travelling through large periods of time, but I'd done enough studies into the nature of time to estimate that time was now passing at about a third of normal time. Tael and I were the only ones affected.

The loss of the barrier concerned me, and though the slower rain was getting me wet much slower, I was still getting soaked. I tried to recreate it and nothing happened. I tried Din's Fire and even Farore's Wind, and they failed as well.

"Maybe it's because you're up to your ears in one kind of magic," Tael suggested. "It's drowning out your magic. I hope it doesn't affect your mind too."

"No, that's fine," I said, testing it briefly. "I can still sense you there, and also the guy up at the rock. My mind is fine."

"Y'know, this could be very useful. You reckoned no one would be able to see us, right?"

"One way to find out," I replied, heading up to the mining workman. "Hey!" I shouted at him. "Can you hear me?" He didn't react, continuing his slow-motion mining. I waved my hand in front of him, even floated up above and appeared to hang upside-down in mid-air in front of him, and he also paid no attention. The pickaxe almost collided with me at one point, but a strange blue-white flare appeared between me and it, and I was pushed safely aside.

"What was that?" Tael asked curiously.

"I'm not sure," I said. "Let me experiment a moment."

I settled back to the ground and noted that, although not easily visible, this same flare was also under my feet when on the ground. I tried to physically push the workman and the flare happened again, not pushing back but merely preventing me from interacting with him. The same happened when I touched on the rock, and when I tried to move the great rock with my mind the resulting massive flare temporarily blinded us.

"I think I know what's happening," I said. "We're moving through time at a different rate."

"We know that, Deku boy," Tael said.

"Yeah, but it's not just as simple as that. They're moving at normal time, even though it doesn't look like it to us. To them, if they could see us, we'd be moving far quicker. There's a mismatch in time's flow between us and them."

"And that means..." Tael asked.

"It means those flares are the two flows conflicting. Time itself won't let me interact with something that's not in the same flow."

"I see," he said, which was basically a lie. His very tone suggested he hadn't the faintest idea what I was talking about.

"Just take my word for it. That's probably why the magic didn't work either, the spells are designed to work in normal time, not this altered flow we're in."

"So what now?"

"We carry on. This way no one will notice us fly over the boulder, putting this dude out of work as far as we're concerned, go into the ranch and find this mohawk guy, help him, then play the normal Song of Time and go save a guardian."

"You make it sound so simple," he grumbled. "You and your messing with time."

"At least I'm not going to meet myself this time," I said, already flying up and over the ranch. "That happened to me once in Hyrule. Fortunately I remembered some self-imposed rules I came up with in case that ever happened, and avoided a paradox."

"Is that really important?"

"Imagine you meet your future self, and your future self tells you something," I explained, using my aerial view to seek out the guy we were looking for. "When you get to the point in time where you are the future self, meeting your past self, you _must_ replicate those words exactly – otherwise, you remember something that didn't happen. If it didn't happen, then your future self couldn't have been there to tell you it. And if that happens, you have an event which is both happening and not happening at the same time."

Tael thought about this for some time, during which I located a likely looking candidate and headed for him. He looked much like his picture, and was surrounded by a group of little yellow cucco chicks.

"So what you're saying is," Tael said eventually. "Is that it's like a horse that's standing still, but at the same time also running? Which is impossible."

"You've got the idea. Metaphor is a little inaccurate, but it's close enough."

"I think your friend was right. Talking time travel with you is..."

"Yeah, I know. Sometimes I even give myself headaches trying to figure it out, and I made a point of studying time. What d'ya think Tael? This look like the guy?"

"Looks like it to me. Best go somewhere out of sight, otherwise you'll appear out of nowhere when you drop back into normal time."

To take care of that I ducked behind one of the various panels in this part of the ranch, re-played the song to emerge back into the normal flow of time, then went back out again without anything apparently extraordinary about me to see what this depressed looking fellow needed help with.

"Looking a little depressed there, friend," I said, joining him. "Moon getting you down?"

"Getting us all down," he answered morosely. "Something that big, it'll take down the ranch and everything else with it. Wouldn't really bother me, 'cept I'm not gonna see these little guys grow up into fine roosters. All the work I put into raising 'em..." he trailed off.

Tael and I shared a look.

"There's a Mask for that," he told me. "And we've got it."

"Think I can help you there, friend. These Cucco chicks recognise you, right?"

"Always do," he answered, a hint of pride touching his voice. "Ol' Grog here is the only one taking the time to take care of them."

"Think you can gather them up? I'm not going to harm them at all, don't worry. I'll help if you need."

"Don't – you'll scare 'em off. Let me." He blew a whistle through his fingers and before long was surrounded, just as in the picture, by his chicks. He counted them up, then nodded, "That's all ten. Don't scare them now."

I wasn't planning to. Instead I pulled out the Bremen Mask and my Ocarina, playing the accompaniment I'd been taught and starting a march to go with it. The chicks stopped chattering for a moment, listening intently, then paraded in a line after me. Grog watched with interest, while I concentrated on keeping the song going right.

Behind me I heard a sound I can only describe as a poof of feathers and a startled gasp from Grog. I kept on playing, hearing a second, then a third. Tael kept count for me so I didn't lose concentration, then nudged me when all ten had happened, so I lead the way back to Grog and chanced a look.

I was no longer being followed by chicks – just as the story had told me, the Bremen Mask had brought them into adulthood rapidly, and now Grog, looking on in wonderment, had ten fine Cuccos.

"I don't get how you done that, little guy," he told me, staring from them to me. "But I'm happy you did. Seeing these guys with their crests and all... I don't have any regrets now. You can have this from me," he said, and handed me another mask. This one was designed as a hood with long bunny ears.

"I recognise that," Tael said. "Tatl and I saw it once, before we met Skull Kid. That's the Bunny Hood, isn't it?"  
Grog nodded, "I used to wear it all the time when I were a kid. Wear it and you'll be able to run forever if you wanted, and quicker too. Take good care of it now, hear?"

I promised I would, leaving him to enjoy the company of his Cuccos, then made sure we were out of sight again. Another glance into the Bombers' Notebook revealed nothing new except for the markings telling me who I'd helped so far.

"Well, looks like it's back to the hero business then," I said. "You reckoned the swamp first, right?"

"Yeah. That's where we went first anyway. You get to become a Deku Scrub again and meet your new family."

"Stop reminding me. It's just going to be more gawking Scrubs," I grumbled. "Alright, lets get this over with. Dawn of the First day, happening again in just a few seconds."


	15. Swamp Sisters

The first thing I did once everything had started over was to shoot down Tingle and, for another sixty rupees, got a map of the entire southern swamp and a place named Woodfall, which was just a deeper part of the swamp.

Closely following that, and because I was also curious, I put on the Bunny Hood just to see if it really did have an effect. Which it did – Grog hadn't been wrong, I felt as if I really could run as long as I wanted, and even quicker than normal as I headed back through town for the southern gate. I may not have been able to use the inverted Song of Time if I wanted to interact with anything, but this went some way to making up for that – and was by far less remarkable too.

It also let me easily evade the few monsters that tried to attack me once out on Termina Field as well, quickly crossing it to the entrance to the swamp. Just outside it was a large, dead tree with many carvings cut into its bark.

"I remember this place," Tael remarked. "Skull Kid brought us here when we first befriended him. He said it was where he kept his memories so other people could see. Look here," he flew down to one part. There was a badly drawn figure along with two spots and lines. "This was the first one he did with us. He'd been so happy to have friends..."

"Didn't he have any before?" I asked him.

"Well, yes... but he said he'd been arguing with them, and they'd left him. He was lonely, Silver. Everyone needs some company, and back then Tatl and I were still new to Termina. We were kinda lost and looking for somewhere to stay because it was raining, and we found him in that giant hollow log over there."

I'd seen the log he was on about. It looked more like someone had carved out the middle of the tree, if it had been a tree. The only trees I knew that were that large had talked to me.

"He's not a bad person, Silver," Tael told me after a time, during which I absently shoved a Guay that had tried to attack. "He just wanted to be friends, then attention. We couldn't just leave him."

"I'm not judging, Tael. Maybe a little concerned he decided to go into troublemaking, but no one's perfect. C'mon – why don't we carry on, so we can get your friend back to normal, eh?"

"Don't try to make me feel better about it, Deku boy," Tael told me, already back to his normal self. "Having to follow you all over Termina isn't my idea of fun."

"Whatever you say, Fairy boy," I grinned back, moving on.

The road to the swamp was little more than a well worn muddy path, the foot prints in them mostly small enough to belong to Deku Scrubs. Chus wobbled about freely, apparently quite at home in this kind of place. Down one lesser used branch of the swamp path there was a Shooting Gallery, which even by the sign outside I knew I'd need a bow for. Something I didn't have – again.

From there I continued south until I found the edge of the swamp itself, something I knew because there was a sign outside that told me so. More or less. It said something else as well, but I wasn't going to tell Tael that I couldn't read it. He was bad enough as it was.

According to my map the swamp was separated into three distinct areas. The North Side where I was had the Swamp Tourist centre, some place that Tael told me was a potion shop, and the entrance to the Woods of Mystery – the local access and name for the Lost Woods.

In the south-east there was a smaller part of the swamp that, I later learned, had another of those frogs I never really mentioned at first. Not really notable at first, but useful later on. Finally there was the south-east part, which led to the Deku Palace and nearby there, Woodfall – the most likely place, looking at the map, I'd find the first Dungeon. Or Temple. Or both.

Reaching other parts of the swamp was temporarily blocked off from me as the narrow passageways between them were blocked up by two of the biggest Octoroks I'd ever seen. They were nothing compared to the one that had somehow ended up in Jabu-Jabu's belly, but big enough that I didn't want to fight them.

Fortunately they seemed more inclined to merely float in the water and eye passers-by ominously, and were therefore no trouble to ignore, so I headed first into the Swamp Tourist centre. Maybe it'd be useful, who knows?

As I ascended the ladder outside the sound of a Deku Scrub came to me, and when I got to the top I found the source – a Business Scrub sat on another flower, which was growing _on_ the wooden platform. I knew there was nothing underneath, so where had it been? Was the insides of those flowers some kind of extra dimensional space?

He muttered something about wishing he could move to the city, but didn't seem inclined to do business with a human, which seemed kinda contradictory to me. In the city you'd only get more humans, after all.

Even so, I poked my head into the Tourist centre only to poke it back out again after just a few moments. There was a human in there who was muttering loudly.

"Still not back from visiting her sister," he was grumbling. "An' him off parading himself in that stupid green suit... how'm I supposed to run a tourist centre on my own if they're always away?"

"He could be talking about the sister of the one who runs the potion shop," Tael murmured. "As for the guy in green... you don't suppose Tingle is his son, do you?"

"I bet he's ashamed of him if he is," I said. "We'll stop by the potion place and find her sister. By the looks of what I saw in there, she runs some kind of swamp tour, and we'll want to take that to reach the Deku Palace without bothering those Octoroks."

Which turned out to be inaccurate, as it happened.

Since there was a Deku Scrub watching and I didn't particularly feel like being any more remarkable than I already was, I went back down the ladder and on to a waiting boat moored up underneath so no one would see me exchange the Bunny Hood for the Deku Mask and form, then started to hop over the murky swamp water to various large lily pads. I could probably have swum through, but I had a feeling I was likely to need this form a great deal here.

When I reached the potion shop I found it, like the Tourist centre was raised up above the main swamp itself, so after a few moments to assure myself there wasn't anyone around to see, I floated up to the door instead – and squeaked in surprise as I saw who was dozing behind the counter! None other than Kotake, one of the two sorceress sisters I had faced in Hyrule's future and defeated. I'd even watched them argue as they were taken, rather anticlimactically, upwards in a beam of light with halos.

"Who's there?" the familiar voice snapped out, the dozing figure quickly straightening up and looking about, then spying me. "Oh, it's a little Deku boy," she relaxed. "You're not from around here are you? Looking like that, I'd have heard if you were. Been a long while since the Deku King had a Silverwood Scrub visit. Oh, listen to me ramble," she went on. The voice was the same, but it wasn't the same way of talking Kotake had used before. "You didn't come here to listen to an old hag. What can I do you for, little boy?"

"I'm looking for your sister, Koume," I said, hazarding a guess that her sister's name would also match. "She hasn't got back to the Tourist centre."

"Hm. Koume's a tough old bat – though you shouldn't tell her I said that. She said she was going to go into the woods to look for mushrooms before she headed back, so I'd look there. Anything else?"

"No, that's all thanks. I'll be sure to stop by again if I need some magic potion though."

"Would that I had the ingredients," she snorted. "The Zoras are the only ones I can get them from, and at what price? I've had to up my prices just to make anything out of it. Still, at least you magic Dekus don't have that to worry about, eh? Wave a little hand and anything could happen. Maybe that's why other Deku Scrubs give you such a wide berth. I heard the last Silverwood to come this way saved the Deku King's life too. Wonder what you'll be remembered for? Oh, damn, I'm rambling again, aren't I?"

"I don't mind, really," I told her quickly – she had told me enough to confirm and expand my knowledge of Silverwood Scrubs, enough that I could probably use it to my advantage if I needed to go to the Deku Palace. Which I probably did. "At least you're not like others who are all gawking and pointing at me."

"I've seen you fellows often enough the novelty has long since worn off, my boy," she cackled. "Go on, kid – get moving. You'll have to be quick if you want to keep up with Koume."

Once back outside I floated back down again, coming to rest on a less marshy patch of grass outside the Woods of Mystery, which I headed into. It was a comfort to know that these were at least slightly familiar woods, and that if I looked long enough I'd probably find my way back to the Kokiri Forest too. I had a way home still.

What I wasn't expecting was there to be a monkey waiting for me there. It didn't say anything as such, but beckoned for me to follow it, going on all fours to the left of the three other possible routes. Much like the Lost Woods, they went in all four directions.

I wasn't going to be able to run as quickly as the monkey moved as a Deku, so I went for a quick experiment and put on the Bunny Hood without changing back – and once again I felt the energy it gave me. The monkey impatiently waved me on again.

With the Bunny Hood speeding my little Deku steps I followed it left, then continuing to follow it took a right, a second right, straight ahead, left and left again. Along this route I was attacked by large turtles that retreated into their shells, put out spikes and spun for me at high speeds, but I evaded most of them and once when the monkey was just barely visible blasted one with my mind to send it flying.

The monkey had led me on a safe route to none other than Koume, laying beside a broomstick on the ground and moaning weakly. As I approached Koume, the monkey headed back the way we'd come, leaving me with her.

Warily, knowing what she'd been like last time I'd seen her, I approached her myself.

"Excuse me? Are you... alright?"

"Do I look alright?" Koume's unmistakable screech, though still weaker, cut through the air even making me flinch back from it. "You think I'm laying here for the fun of it, do you?"

"No! But... well, I mean, what else am I going to say?"

Koume focused on me with some effort.

"Oh, my. You're one of them, one of them, one of them Silverwoods, aren't you?"

I sighed. That was really getting to be tiresome. "Yes, I am. What happened to you Koume? Can I help at all?"

Privately I wondered if these two weren't actually the same two who I'd be seeing in Hyrule's future, just on vacation – and then wondered what might happen if I did something to them now instead.

"Well! Just minding my own business, picking mushrooms when – BAM!" she managed to make it very loud for someone too weak even to get up. "I got hit from behind!" she exclaimed. "That pesky Skull Kid... did he think an old hag wouldn't recognise him if he hid his face behind that ridiculous mask? And he put so much power behind it now I can't even get up!"

"Huh... I'm a little short of my own magic right now," I lied. "But I think I can remember the way to get back here. If you can hang on a bit, I'm sure one of your sister's red potions will be perfect, right?"

"Well, since you mention it... if I could have got these mushrooms to her she'd be able to brew up some blue potion – now _that_ is one good potion she brews right there! But red should do it. Are you really going to leave me here at the mercy of-"

"Alright, alright!" I cut her off. "I'll use what little magic I've got left to ensure nothing happens to you, 'kay? I'm gonna be stuck being as mundane as any other Deku Scrub for a bit, but I guess you need it more than I do."

Koume looked as if she wanted to say something about that, but chose not to answer and just sunk back down to wait. I creaked out my 'magic' protection for her while fixing her location in my mind so I'd mentally notice anything that happened here. If something _did_ try to go for her, they'd find my mind waiting for them.

Like the Lost Woods, the Woods of Mystery had no actual set route, so deliberately taking the wrong route took me back to where I'd entered. Conveniently, right outside Kotake's shop, so once again I floated on up and in.

"Oh?" she said, glancing up again as I entered. "Oh, it's you again. Did you find Koume?"

"I did, but she's hurt and I don't have enough magic to help her myself, so-"

"So you came to get my sis some of my good strong red potion! Of course – just hold on a few seconds..." She dipped behind the counter, pulling out a glass bottle much like the two I still had leftover from Hyrule, dunked it into cauldron that had red steam emerging from it, then wiped it off, stoppered it and handed it down to me. "You can keep the bottle for being such a helpful little lad," she told me. "And tell Koume to stop by on her way back and bring you with her if you can, and I'll see if I can't brew up something for your magic too."

"Oh, you don't have to do that," I tried to assure her quickly, but she was already puttering around, adding ingredients to another cauldron and didn't appear to hear. Well, at least my little excuse would get me something useful.

I left her to it, retracing the original route through the Woods of Mystery since there was no monkey this time, and shoving aside several more of the turtle things, which Tael told me were called Snappers. One of them did try to go for Koume, though only because I'd hurled it through one of the logs that had sent it there, so I sent it flying back again before it got near her. At least she'd be able to see that my 'magic' was doing its job. Not that I'm complaining as such, but sometimes people seem to be just a bit too gullible.

Koume almost snatched the potion bottle off me, drinking from it eagerly then letting out a thunderous belch.

"Good batch," she said absently afterwards, handing me the bottle. "You say sis said to give you a lift back?"

"Yeah. She even offered to mix up something for my magic too."

"Ah, that'll be her green potion. Nothing better for magic and mind. We used to send some up into Ikana Canyon quite often. Good stuff. Well my little hero – come on here and hop up onto Koume's broomstick and we'll be away in no time."

Somehow, Koume being nice and grateful to me was more disturbing than when I'd had to fight them.

Kotake met us on the narrow platform outside her shop, suitably impressed that I'd been telling the truth that she washed out the bottle Koume had taken from me, filled it with her Green potion and told me to keep it, then asked Koume to take me all the way back to the swamp Tourist Centre – where she even offered to give me one tour ride free.

"But the big Octoroks..." I started.

"Oh, never mind them," she assured me. "They're just big softies really. The boat won't hurt them, it'll just push them aside. If you've any Deku Nuts going spare, drop one in to them. Feed them a few and they're like puppies."

"Really? You're pulling my leg, seriously."

"No, really," she assured me. "Just wait down here on the boat while I talk to the guy inside, once I tell him you came to old Koume's rescue he'll send the boat on its way. You stop by again anytime little fellow, I'll be sure to give you a special rate."

She wouldn't hear of any objections to that, leaving me to wait on the boat, just as she'd told me. The twin sisters being nice was almost more strange than I appeared to be.


	16. Royal Bully

The free boat cruise through the swamp was a bit of a mystery to me. The boat had no driver and no visible means of propulsion, but a few moments after Koume had gone inside the Swamp Tourist Centre it started moving by itself, heading for the south-east part of this area, past the entrance to Kotake's potion shop. This meant going through once of the narrower routes that had one of the Big Octoroks in.

Just as Koume had told me, the boat simply nudged it out of the way with a disgruntled sound and look. It perked up when I offered it a Deku Nut though, sucking it out of my hand noisily. I heard the nut crunch as it lazily floated back to its place after the boat had passed. Probably just as well that despite my form, I'd given it the nut – I didn't want to think about what might have happened had it been me instead of the nut that had crunched.

Now past that first one the boat ride took me through a much more natural looking part of the swamp – this is where the frog I mentioned was. The water here started to look decidedly murky and unpleasant, and not in the way marshy swamp water is supposed to be. Brown is normal; purple is most certainly not.

Another Big Octorok awaited at the far side of this area just beyond a thankfully normal-coloured waterfall – which being in Deku form wasn't just like having a quick and cold shower, it was also nourishment too. If this was all I needed as a Deku and it carried over to the other forms, it'd save a great deal on food.

I fed that Octorok a Deku Nut too, noting that I had neglected to stock up on them and was still running low. I'd have to do something about that, no doubt I'd need something to spit at enemies while I remained in this form. The slingshot just wasn't going to be a convenient solution.

The boat stopped not far on the other side of the waterfall at a jetty, accompanied by Koume's voice out of nowhere telling me I'd arrived at the entrance to the Deku Palace and to watch my step due to the poisonous water. I didn't need telling twice there, that was for sure.

"Well, here we are," Tael remarked as I leapt to shore, having to skim over the water once to make it. "Your new home and family. Nervous?"

"Do you mind?" I squeaked. "I'm not enjoying this you know. I'm going to the local home of Deku Scrubs and it means I'm going to get gawked at from all angles, and by their King as well."

"Well if you're half the Hero you claim to be, you shouldn't have a problem with that."

I ignored that and headed through another opening to the wide open area of the Deku Palace. On the outside it had a tall wooden palisade wall painted white, the insides concealed from view but for a long and empty grassy route leading from what, had there been a gate, would have been the main and only gates. Two Deku Scrubs were standing guard there, barring the path for anyone who didn't have some way of ignoring them.

Around the palace was more of the poison water with a scattering of lily pads on them, and to the right there was a small outcropping, the grass on it not doing well because of the water. There was however a Deku Flower I could use on it to reach a cave up above. I had a feeling I'd be using it soon enough.

"Lets hope my special status does us some good in here," I creaked to Tael, then set off along the plank bridges that were kept from floating off by a few bits of rope tying them together. As I crossed the two guard Scrubs appeared to make no reaction, but I heard them talking as quietly as they could, probably about me. They did not, however, move from their positions even when I got right up before them.

"This is the palace of the Deku Kingdom," one told me, as if I didn't know this already. "Only those on official business may enter!"

"Just who do you think you're talking to like that!" I demanded. "Or have your eyes completely deserted you?"

The two shared a look, then the other guard bowed deeply and said, "Forgive us, noble Scrub, but our orders are from the King. We cannot let anyone pass while the public humiliation of the foolish monkey is in progress."

"Public humiliation?" I asked, somehow managing to sound outraged. "Just what does your King think he's doing?"

Both of them recoiled back from the tone, then the left one bowed this time. "He was seen going to the temple at Woodfall with the King's daughter, but only the monkey returned. It is sure to have been a trap!"

"And your evidence for this is?" Neither of them answered. "You mean to say you haven't even asked the monkey for his side of things?"

"The temple has vanished into the water, noble Scrub! No one can go there to find out if what he says is true but the King, and the King must remain here!"

"Then I will go in his place," I told them coldly. "After I speak to him _and_ the monkey. This foolishness has to be stopped before someone does something incredibly stupid. Now let me through."

They didn't hesitate to comply after my apparent reaction to the King's actions. Given that I had no idea what he was actually doing to this monkey, or what the monkey's defence was, I did consider I'd been overreacting – but I had yet to see anything.

Inside the white walls of the Deku Palace was an entire town of Deku Scrubs. They all carefully stayed clear of the main path down which I travelled, the signs that I could read pointing me straight ahead to the palace proper. Concealed by the walls however were a number of crosswalks going from one side to the other, along which many more Scrubs were.

It was strange to think that the Deku had their own civilization this way, their own life just like Clock Town. Stranger still to see it, with Tael quietly murmuring translations of the signs because I gave up trying to read them after a time. There were shops selling all kinds of strange-sounding Deku goods, their own post office, a branch of the Bank of Termina being run, of course, by a Business Scrub. We even came across a theatre, completely unsuitable for anyone but a Deku Scrub to enter but apparently with all manner of displays being put on.

I made one brief side trip to a shop to stock up on Deku Nuts and since they had them a few Deku Sticks as well, recalling how useful they'd been before, then continued on into the main palace area. It was unguarded, but since every Scrub knew what it was it didn't need to be.

Inside were many more officious looking Scrubs around a large fire, some eyeing it warily. On a raised dais opposite me was one of the biggest Deku Scrubs I'd even seen, wearing a leafy crown and holding a tall staff that meant he had to be the King. Beside him was a Deku Scrub who there could be no doubting was a butler – he just had the kind of look about him.

On my left was also a cage in the side of this cavern-like room, in which was a monkey tied to a post. He'd been struggling, but stopped and stared when I entered – as did most of the King's court.

Oh, gods I enjoyed that. I know I didn't exactly get along with all this attention I got as a Deku, but watching the entire court stop and stare, even the King himself once he realized what was going on, that was just pure awesome – and all I had to do was come in and stand in the doorway.

Then the Deku King spoke and the spell was broken.

"Who let you in here?" he demanded.

"I let myself in, your Majesty," I said respectfully but also with the same cold tone I'd used on the gate guards. Several Scrubs started to back away as I crossed the floor, realising they were going to be uncomfortably close to me. "I understand there's a situation here, and I'm going to do something about it."

"In my court? Without my leave? How dare-"

"Oh, stop that," I cut him off. "Or have you forgotten it was a Silverwood Scrub that saved a king's life?"

"You _look_ like such a Scrub, but I see little magic about you," he asserted. The assorted Scrubs backed away even further, suspecting what came next. Without even looking at one of them I pointed at one and raised my hand. My mind saw to it the Scrub rose up with it.

"You will note, your Majesty, that I chose not to demonstrate on you," I said. "As easy as it would have been. I am not unreasonable. Just cooperate with me and we will have no problems. And someone untie that monkey – he's already caged, unless there's another exit from that cell he's not going anywhere."

There was a sudden rush to obey, taking a knife on a very long stick to cut through the ropes binding the monkey, who dropped to the floor easily and nodded thanks to me.

"Excuse me noble Scrub," the Scrub I'd elevated said. "But could you possibly see your way to letting me down? Whenever it's convenient, of course," it added quickly as I turned to look at it. I just waved one hand absently and set him down again, trying to make it look offhand.

The King meanwhile found his voice again. "How _dare_ you come into my court and start issuing orders?" he demanded.

"Quite easily!" I snapped, turning on him. "Now listen to me! You've locked up a monkey and by what the guards told me plan to humiliate and punish him for something you can't even be certain happened! You haven't even tried to find out for certain what happened. So I'm going to do you a favour. I'm going to listen, _without interruptions,_ to this monkey's account, and then I'm going to go and do something about it, and if any of you get in my way I'll do more than just walk all over you."

"The Woodfall Temple has sunken into the swamp," the King told me stiffly. "No one can go there but I, and I must remain here."

"Which is why I'll be going in your place. You'll tell me, in private if you have to, everything I need to do to gain entry, and then I'll handle things. That's why I'm here in the first place. I knew something was happening here that needed a touch of magic to it, so here I am. Now then little monkey, you will tell me what happened."

The monkey looked around at the other Deku and edged closer to me as if hoping I'd protect him, then gave his account. "The Deku Princess came to me and told me she needed help to reach the Temple," he told me, to sounds of derision from behind me.

"I will have silence while I hear him," I told them firmly.

"He speaks nonsense already!" the King asserted. "Why would the Deku Princess have a need of a monkey?"

"Because she couldn't get there alone, and no Deku Scrub would accompany her without your leave!" the monkey snapped, then calmed himself before continuing. "She had some pipes she played a melody on that caused the Woodfall Temple to appear, and we went in to investigate. But it was filled with monsters she said shouldn't have been there-"

"Monsters in the Temple? More absurdities!" the King roared, then withered under my gaze.

"Need I remind you I can still put my magic on to you instead of your court?" I told him. He withered further. I was bullying a King and getting away with it here. What could be more fun?

"She said they shouldn't have been there, but were," the monkey continued. "Then we got surrounded and they captured her. She told me to come here to warn the King, but when I got out not only did the Temple sink back into the swamp, but the Deku thought I'd kidnapped the princess and captured me! They haven't listened to a word I said, or even tried to find out, just as you said uh..."

"My name is Silver," I supplied, then turned back to the King. "Do you know what this melody your daughter played is?"

"Of course I do! It is the song of the royal family!"

Sound familiar?

"And it is required to gain entry to the Woodfall Temple?" I inquired.

"Plainly obvious from his account!"

"Then you will teach it to me. The reasons should be plainly obvious, but if you can't see them even now I will explain. _I_ will play the song on my own pipes, _I_ will raise the Temple and using my magic _I _will clear it out and retrieve your captured daughter. Then I will bring her here, you can hear her account and realize how close you were to punishing an innocent monkey. What happens then is not my concern – I have other appointments to keep."

"You are not of the royal family. I can hardly teach you the song."

"Then you condemn your own daughter to stay in that temple until you change your mind," I shrugged. "If you change your mind simply send someone to find me. I'll take a room in the town outside, if not in Clock Town."

Then I turned to leave. I got as far as the fire pit before he called me back.

"Wait! I will... teach you the song," he said with clear reluctance. "The Sonata of Awakening, we call it. Fetch my pipes," he told his butler, who disappeared behind a leafy curtain. "You have your own?" the King asked me. I brought out the Ocarina, which as before changed into the pipes due to my form. "Very good. Listen carefully and remember this song."

I knew that drill, I'd gone through it enough times in Hyrule.

Once I had the song committed to memory and played back to the King's satisfaction, I excused myself from his court – not that I probably needed to after all that – and left. I knew where I was going and what I had to do – the first Temple awaited me.


	17. Woodfall Temple

Since somehow word had got about of the irritated Silverwood in the King's Court, I was given an even wider berth as I left the Deku Palace again. More than a few Scrubs tried not to be too obvious about catching a glance at me as I passed, and the gate guards, more sensible this time, simply bowed aside without a word.

It was probably the first time I'd actually enjoyed the reaction I got just by walking past.

Due to this however I kept my displays to the more mundane, skimming the water again to reach the flower I'd seen before to make my way toward Woodfall. A sign nearby told me it was the 'Deku Only Woodfall Shortcut'.

That actually led back to the poisoned swamp where the tour boat was still moored up, but even from here I could see a string of raised areas on brightly coloured giant mushrooms and other ledges, all with more Deku flowers on them.

"You could fly yourself you know," Tael reminded me. "For one thing it'd be more direct than following those flowers. And there's no Deku Scrubs too, so you wouldn't have to worry about being seen."

"You're really set on making me show off whenever I can, aren't you?" I observed, taking his advice only because it was more convenient to do so. "We're almost at the first Temple, isn't that enough for you?"

"So I'm impatient," he replied. "Deal with it."

Flying along this way was probably worth it given the time it saved and time saved was a good thing in Termina. I kept a watch on where the flower route would take us until I knew exactly where I was aiming for, passing through another cavern that angled sharply downwards and into the main Woodfall area at the centre of the Southern Swamp.

It was a large, open area surrounded by undergrowth so thick there was no way anything was going to be getting through it. Dying vegetation drifted in the poisoned water here, dotted with the stumps of several trees. A few had collapsed to provide convenient, if sickly looking, walkways between stumps.

Immediately ahead of me was a vast open area, and opposite was a large wooden platform that was definitely not natural. Off to one side was a small rocky area with an ornate entrance that could only be the local Great Fairy.

Since there was little point visiting the shattered Great Fairy without the missing Stray Fairies, I ignored the few local monsters – Mad Scrubs, some strange bug-like things Tael called Hiploops, and some giant Dragonflies – and simply flew over to the platform.

On it were a few decorative pots and a stylized Deku Scrub on a log chunk, facing toward the empty area. As if it wasn't obvious enough what to do, I replayed the Sonata of Awakening. The notes echoed away, then the last echoes were obscured by a low rumble. The vegetation in the swampy water was shifted away as the centre started to bubble and seethe, then spraying water everywhere the Woodfall Temple, a vast mossy structure with it's own poison-bleached plants growing on it, burst out of the water.

Since I had no intentions of staying a Deku unless I needed it, I removed the Deku Mask and didn't bother to put the Hylian one back on, then flew over.

"You're going to do it like that?" Tael asked.

"Don't argue with me, Fairy boy," I told him. "I'm used to this. I went through many dungeons like this, or at least like this with an image of the Hylian boy hiding me. It was still me underneath."

"What if you-"

"Don't start with the what ifs, Tael," I sighed. "If I need to be a Deku, then I'll be a Deku as long as I need to be. We're in experienced territory now, so except for anything I don't recognise and maybe nudging me if I mange to be oblivious to something obvious – it's happened, believe me – just trust me."

"As if I wasn't already," he snorted, following me through an opening into the dim entrance hall of the Woodfall Temple.

It too was vast, prompting the idle thought that these places often seem to be bigger on the inside than they were on the outside. That's magic for you.

In this case it was a roughly rectangular room interspersed with winding tree trunks, some with unnecessary Deku Flowers on. In the gloom below it was just possible to make out a tiled floor with some small, red-eyed black clouds that Tael identified as Black Boes, annoying little creatures that grew spontaneously out of the darkness.

On the far side of the room was the only door out, two Big Skulltulas standing guard on either side with two torches set into the wall. Two more were on this side with the flowers, but what dominated this side was a curious stone design in the floor that had the sign of Majora's Mask carved into it. I sensed no presence about it, and warily stepping on to it did nothing, so I ignored it.

"Alright. Now lets keep you happy. Watch this," I told Tael, drawing my sword and tossing it into the air. I caught it with my mind, then as I flew easily to the other side I sent it darting ahead to the two Skulltulas, reaching behind them to stab them without even needing to be near them. They fell down when defeated, landing on some of the Boes which gave off an annoyed chittering as they scuttled back into the shadows.

"That's not showing off, that's just cheating," Tael remarked. "And being lazy."

"Hey, who's the one with the mind here? It's only the first room, after all."

"Well, you've forgotten something already. Look behind you."

I turned in the air, looking then down toward where Tael was now flying. There was a Stray Fairy there, this one pink. The two transformation masks aside I quickly found that some masks – like the Great Fairy's Mask – weren't going to be so easy to wear in my own form, so I set myself down on a convenient stump and changed again to Hylian, then wore the Great Fairy's to attract the Stray Fairy to me. It vanished when it reached me, unlike the one in Clock Town, but maybe the mask was involved.

The flowing pink hair of the mask was still shimmering, so I scanned the room mentally only to find that the chest I was sharing a tree stump with had a second Stray Fairy in. Once it was released and it too had vanished, the shimmering stopped.

Now with the Skulltulas and Stray Fairies all dealt with I went through the door, which needed to be lifted up to open it and reach what was, even if I didn't know it at the time, the central room of this floor of the temple.

A Deku Baba beside me lunged and snapped, coming up short and getting the sword in its bud. Like the ones I'd known before it flinched back and stiffened, making it easy to cut off the bud and then the stem to use as a stick.

Beyond it there was a tree root winding down to the lower part of this room and a west-leading locked door, the rest of the room either more stinking poison water or flowers growing on the surface – which looked carnivorous at that.

Around the two sides of the room I couldn't reach – by mundane means, anyway – were mossy stone balconies that had north and east leading doors, the east side with two doors, one on the lower level. A small collection of pottery occupied a tiny ledge down in the south-east corner of the room for no apparent reason.

"Which door, Deku boy?" Tael asked. "North, west, or two possible ways east."

"Lower East," I answered immediately, already making my way down the stump and trying not to think about how different it still felt to be Hylian. Let alone the fact that the mask's hair was shimmering again, but there were no Stray Fairies coming to me.

"Why that way?"

"Because it's the only door I could reach if I didn't have my alternatives available to me," I replied. "It's something I've tried to keep to where possible, because otherwise I could miss things that I need to do. By doing it this way, I almost guarantee I'll catch all the important parts of the Temple."

"But if you can tell where monsters and everything are like you say, you could ignore all of this and just find your way to the boss. Surely you can sense that easily, right?"

"I could, but in my experience there's always a key item I need to find to beat the boss, and sometimes one of several keys, or a big key, I need to unlock doors in the way. Trust me Tael, it's better this way," I went on, slaying another Deku Baba at the bottom of the root that, strangely enough, turned into the third Stray Fairy.

Again the hair remained shimmering so I scanned this room too only to find one of the pots in the corner concealed the fourth one. Rather than going over there myself, and to keep Tael happy, I simply shattered the pots with my mind instead.

"That's more like it! You weren't even near them!"

"You're going to be like a kid with candy if I keep this up," I muttered, but privately I admitted it was nice to see some appreciation for a change.

"How're you gonna get across to the east door without flying though? Those plants look like they'd eat you."

"Like you said earlier – there's a Mask for that."

"There is?"

I didn't answer and decided I'd try a little experiment. I took off the Great Fairy's Mask first, but left myself in Hylian form as I put on the Deku mask. There was the still uncomfortable feeling of changing form, then I was left holding the Hylian mask in a Deku hand.

"Now that's convenient," I remarked absently, putting it away.

"I don't follow your reasoning," Tael admitted.

"I'm a Deku Scrub now – a plant. Something that eats plants is called a herbivore, and something that eats meat – like human boys – is a carnivore."

"I know what the words mean, Deku boy. I don't think it'll work though."

"One way to find out. Hover a bit higher and if you're right, you won't get eaten with me."

"Aren't you afraid?"

"A bit, but I'm a Hero – if I went around being visibly afraid at everything, I'd never get anything done."

I think he gave up – again – after that remark. I just skimmed over the water, using the vicious looking plants like normal lily pads. I landed on the first and it twitched slightly, but made no reaction.

That allowed me to reach the narrow platform for the lower east door, where I paused to change back to Hylian and put the Great Fairy's Mask back on – I wanted to know when there were Stray Fairies around for one thing, and for another I wasn't going to need to be a Deku nearly as much as I would Hylian.

The next room was very similar to the one before – poison water, carnivorous plants in the water arranged around a Deku Flower and doors in all cardinal directions. A ledge led from the door above me around to the southern one, which like the north door was on the upper level and technically unreachable.

Below the north door was a small chest that was, interestingly – to me, anyway – lined with gold bands instead of the normal iron, and also of note was that the mask's hair was, once again, shimmering.

While I went for the chest I checked the room for anywhere obvious there would be a Stray Fairy, finding the sense of its presence hidden in a beehive of all things, right beside the very platform I was busy landing on. The chest gave me a small key, and a brief burst from Din's Fire – just in case there were bees in there that had wanted to come after me – released the fifth Stray Fairy.

Rather than go back and unlock the door before, I headed east again, taking me into a slightly dimmer room with a few small pools of water over it, a few Deku Flowers and some more Snappers.

Two of the three went for me right away, so I immediately floated up above them, then asked Tael to give a bit of advice.

"Well, they're vulnerable underneath, like the Skulltulas, but you've got to flip them over," he told me. "Shouldn't be any problem for you."

"No, it wouldn't be. I think I'm going to try something again. This is the perfect opportunity."

Tael watched curiously as I exchanged the Great Fairy's Mask for the more dangerous Blast Mask. I'd had some ideas about this before, but never really the opportunity to test them. I was hoping it was much like the spells I had – a fixed effect for most, but something I could rework to my own ends.

Of course, first I had to figure out how to make it work. The other three spells worked just by being in contact with them and willing the effect to happen. Through the small eye-holes in the mask I oriented on one of the Snappers, then willed the mask to affect it.

The mask blew up on my face instead, disrupting my focus and throwing me back to the floor in a blast of smoke. Tael had kept clear and also decided not to follow, laughing merrily. One unfortunate Snapper that decided I was a prone target got taught a swift lesson as I hurled it mentally away, then sent the sword after it to stab it a few times until it was defeated.

"Still want to experiment?" Tael asked, now suppressing laughter and concealing it badly.

"Obviously I'm not going to get it right the first time," I told him testily. "I'm not done yet."

This time I focused on a blast beside the next Snapper and willed the effect. The mask blew me up again instead, leaving my ears ringing, though not enough to drown out the renewed gales of laughter from Tael.

I gave up myself then and just did it all with my mind instead. This was one mask I wasn't going to use again in a hurry.


	18. A Different Kind of Bow

With the demise of the three Snappers and the decision not to experiment with the Blast Mask again, a large gold-bound chest appeared containing the dungeon map. There were two floors to the temple and not many rooms I hadn't been to yet – though like previous maps I'd known, it didn't really tell me much more than that. It did however have the familiar skull marking for the Dungeon's boss, which I mentally reached for as I made my way back to the locked door seen before.

I didn't find it. If it was there it was either being concealed or very good at hiding its presence from me. It wasn't the first time I'd found nothing where there should have been something, but so far I had no idea what to expect so this was hardly a big worry.

Through the locked door was a room that, aside from the ledge I was stood on, another to the south and a few floating ones reached by means of a staircase, was simply a pool of water with bridges. The bridge went right ahead to a crossroads, blocked by a large granite stone, then turned into a corner where there was another Skulltula hanging around. From there it continued back around to the cross, where it then headed down to the southern door.

There were also Stray Fairies in the room, as the mask's hair shimmered one more time. I sensed the presence of one with the Skulltula, and another in the water beneath the stone. Since the water here was also poisoned, there was no way I was going swimming for it – this one would have to wait.

I ignored the block in my path and floated over instead, something completely ignored by the Skulltula. I was able to go past and even behind it, avoiding a burning brazier I hadn't seen before, and attack it from behind without it reacting, netting me the sixth Stray Fairy.

From here I could see the south door was barred and there was an unlit brazier – or torch if you prefer – beside it. As you might have guessed, I didn't bother taking a flame on a stick with me, I just sent a lick of flame from Din's Fire to light it and, as my Hero's sense had suggested, unbar the door.

This room was much like the one with the Snappers in, but held two giant dragonflies. These aren't you average dragonflies though, and not just because they're giant – their tails also spark with enough electricity to give you a big shock. More so if you're not expecting it and they're hovering behind the door in wait for you.

I answered that easily by changing back to a Deku Scrub. Their shock, while still painful, had a far lesser effect on me. Two Deku Nuts spat at each felled them easily once I got my aim and range, and those few that missed flashed brightly to stun them.

This caused another gold-bound large chest to appear, this time containing what I thought at first to be another relatively useless compass. This one was even more so being just a drawing on a bit of paper. It still reacted somehow as if it was a compass, but what was more curious was that when I paired it with the map to see better, it became a part of the map – causing the map to display an arrow for my exact location. I moved, and so did it. I turned to face a different direction, and so did it.

Since there was nothing else to do here I headed back a room and up the stairs, noting on the way up that even though there was a Stray Fairy below I had yet to collect, when I got to the top part of the room the mask's shimmering hair stopped. Perhaps this was technically a part of the second floor, and therefore didn't detect it?

At any rate, there was a spider web left in my path that I'm sure I don't need to tell you how I dealt with, and behind that some stairs up to the real second floor and a room that had next to no light at all. In situations like this I fell back on my mind to sense any presences and feeling my way through the room.

This would have worked had there not been a lot of Black Boes hiding in the darkness. I slashed indiscriminately at first until I was certain there were none close to me, then used my mind to track down the last ones and tried not to walk into any walls while I was at it. I never really have got the hang of sensing places instead of people, that was Navi's skill.

During this I found three torches which, because I was lazy and because I suspected this was close to the middle of the room and surrounded, I lit using the standard spell in Din's Fire. The torches burst into life, a number of Boes were momentary blazes and a slightly scorched looking chest appeared containing the seventh Stray Fairy. It even opened the door to the next area, which was strangely reminiscent of the place I'd first flown as a Deku Scrub – only this time with more dragonflies.

I wasn't going to bother with them as long as they didn't me, and just flew around the edge on my own power. Maybe the flowers were more convenient and easier on my mind, maybe if there'd been someone around to see I'd have used them, but this was quicker.

The map told me there were more stairs in the far corner, so I beelined for there and took them, leading me back to the central room, and this time the balconies on it. The Great Fairy's Mask shimmered into life again, hardly surprising since a Stray Fairy was right nearby, trapped in a bubble that had previously been concealed behind a pillar. Eight Stray Fairies found out of the fifteen the Bomber's Notebook told me there were.

There was another Stray Fairy still here, also trapped in a bubble. It was hidden behind a torch and there was no way even with a Deku Nut I was going to be able to nab it without cheating slightly. Which I promptly did, because I could. Nine down, seven left.

I headed east rather than north because north led to the dungeon's boss, and I wasn't going to leave a room unexplored in case it had something I needed in – like the big key, maybe. This put me on the upper balcony of the room I'd found my first small key in, the only easy access from here being to the south for the Temple's first mini-boss.

Yes, first – there were two. I'll get to that in a moment.

In here there was a single Dinofol, close cousins of the Lizalfos I'd fought before except these guys can breath fire, as Tael warned me right away. That immediately discounted doing anything as a Deku, but since I wasn't at the time that wasn't a problem.

They also don't wield shields, but this doesn't make much difference because they're also skilled with a sword. Rather than send mine off to fight without me I kept it in hand, shrugging my own shield down to ready then let it batter away a few times while I watched it, learning its strategy.

It would swipe a few times, strike down then inhale and breath fire. I took a chance and darted in for the attack when it inhaled, which not only interrupted it but caused it to burp with smoke coming out of its mouth, as if the fire had happened inside instead of out.

After repeating a few times it fell and revealed another large chest. It hadn't been the hardest battle, but it was a cut above all the fighting so far, and it got me the local required item – the bow. Not just any bow though, I saw immediately the three magic gems from Hyrule would likely not work with this, because this was a crossbow. It didn't fire arrows, but bolts instead. It had what looked like a mechanism for loading up to five bolts that would be loaded ready to fire after each shot, but this would also mean I'd only have those few shots before I had to reload, unlike the normal bows I was used to.

The mechanism was also designed to be easily removable, and while it was off I took a quick test shot, touching the gem for ice arrows to the bolt. The bolt did nothing different when fired, but it did shoot much quicker and harder than an arrow would have. It had more power behind it, that was for sure.

"You're acting like you've never seen a crossbow before," Tael remarked.

"Seen, just never used. I'm used to a different kind of bow," I replied. "The ones you pull back and load from a quiver. This is just slightly different."

"Gonna be any good with it?"

"Of course I am, I'm a Hero. I always know how to use something I've never seen before."

"I don't think it works that way Deku boy. If you're used to one kind of bow, you'll have trouble with another, and your aim is probably gonna need some work."

"That's why I've got this," I said, tapping the side of my head. "Lets go back a room and try it on the golden eye switch there."

"That eye thing? Sure it's a switch? It looked more like a decoration thing to me."

"Trust me Tael, I've done this before."

He didn't seem convinced so I decided to demonstrate instead, heading back again and sighting. I didn't bother to reattach the mechanism on top, since I didn't need to fire in quick succession for this. It got in the way of aiming accurately, anyway.

Tael was right in one sense, it wasn't like what I was used to. I fired the first bolt knowing it would arc down just like an arrow and missed. It thunked into the top of the platform before the northern door.

"Didn't think to re-aim it with your mind, huh?" he asked.

"It went quicker than I thought," I replied. "Quick enough I don't think I'm going to be able to do that at all. I might actually have to learn to aim this properly."

"What a ghastly thought," Tael said sardonically.

"Stop that and let me try again."

My second shot also missed, but not by as much. The crossbow bolts didn't descend as quickly as the arrows did, probably due to their greater speed, and the crossbow also felt like it had a tendency to pull left slightly. The third shot bounced off the side of the switch, but the fourth caught it, causing a small geyser to make the Deku Flower in the middle of the room to rise up – then after a time, cut off and drop it down again.

"And to think, all this time you could have saved yourself some ammunition if you'd just flown over instead," Tael remarked. "I can see how this is _so_ much easier."

"Do you mind?" I demanded.

"And take all the fun out of this? Don't be silly."

"Maybe I should have left you behind or something and done this myself," I grumbled, flying over to that door."

Through that door was the second mini-boss of the Temple, Gekko. A large frog with an attitude problem that came bounding toward me almost as soon as the door had closed. He was wary enough of my sword to keep clear of it and put us in a stand-off, so backed away and somehow whistled, causing a Snapper to drop down from the ceiling. He got on top and it started to spin for me like any other would have.

I could evade that easily, and just as easily deal with it. I took out a bomb and had it pursue them until it blew up, scattering the two of them. Gekko got up quickly and scrambled up a wall while the Scrapper was wobbling on its back.

This one's shell was too tough to attack with a sword, so I had little choice but to ignore it and go for Gekko, who was busily avoiding me, so I shot him with the crossbow. He dodged and while I was busy reloading he dropped back down, flipped the Scrapper and started going about the room again, in spite of the obvious knowledge that he couldn't reach me.

I took the opportunity to reattach the reloading thing, set it up with five bolts, then sent a bomb down to blow them up again. Gekko went for the wall again, and I oriented myself so I could corner him and shoot him. The first bolt embedded itself in the ceiling, the second and third hit him, and the fourth missed only because he dropped to the floor. I got him with the fifth as he made for the Scrapper, making it give an angry cry before it carried on, apparently aware I had to stop again to reload. This was going to be very inconvenient if I had to keep it up.

We went through the whole process a second time, reloading, bombing then shooting Gekko again. When I got him this time he fell down and turned into one of those frogs I keep making a note of mentioning. The Scrapper vanished, replaced with a large blue chest with golden designs over it, granting me the Big Key of the dungeon. We were almost set now, just a few more rooms and the last Stray Fairies then we'd find out what manner of monster was waiting for me in the boss chamber.


	19. Jungle Warrior

**A/N:** In which we at last learn why the story was entitled Silver Demons. It's not canonical stuff at all, but it does open up a few new possibilities for me.

* * *

With the crossbow in hand and all but one room explored, there was little indication of what came next, so I decided now I could do something about the Stray Fairy underwater in the western part of the Temple.

That of course took me through the main room, and there I paused. There was a lit torch close to the east door, and an unlit torch in the middle of the five flowers in the water below. There was also another unlit torch on the far side of the room where I'd gone any picked up a Stray Fairy.

I could sight along this first torch to the one on the flower, but there was no way I could get a good angle for the other unlit torch. I only hoped that firing a bolt through the fire would have the same effect.

Yes, I could have used Din's Fire. Hyrule's Shadow Temple taught me the invaluable lesson of not depending on mind and magic though. It'd be good to know if this worked too or not.

It did, fortunately, but the results were unexpected. The torch flared up brightly as the bolt plunked into the water beyond, then the whole thing rose up turning into a giant wooden flower, something that was clearly man- or Deku- made.

As it rose and unfolded the leaves became a rotating platform that made it easier to get around on this part of the Temple, but the more interesting effect took place below. Slowly, as it continued to turn, the water started to become clearer. This ancient water purifier was back at work again.

It also let me get a sight from the newly lit torch to the remaining unlit one – which unbarred the northern door, letting us continue that way – once we'd got the last few Stray Fairies in the rest of the Temple.

There was only one that I knew of, but the Great Fairies Mask did not tell me how many were in an area, only if there were or were not. I headed back to the room with the granite block and wood bridges, then since the water was clear now here I dived right in and swum through underneath to free the Stray Fairy from its bubble.

Since I was at the time wearing the Hylian mask I noticed there was one advantage to getting wet in this form – I had no fur, and fur has a tendency to hold water. Though my tunic was soaked of course, and I had to pour water out of my boots, the water ran off me much easier. With the help of a few flames created by Din's Fire I was dried out in no time at all.

The mask proclaimed my work not yet to be done here though, telling me when I put it on again that there were still Stray Fairies to be found. Another mental search revealed it trapped in a beehive hanging beneath one of the floating platforms above, shot down to free it. The mask's hair finally quieted.

This meant only four left, and I felt confident I hadn't missed any, so once again we backtracked, heading for the last room of the Temple.

"You know Silver, I'm thinking there might be something to what you were saying," Tael mused along the way. "I thought it would have been tougher to use a crossbow if you're used to what sounds like a shortbow. You're a little short for a longbow, I think."

"The principles are the same, Tael. It's just a crossbow is pulled back differently to a bow. It uses a mechanical aid that gives it a good bit more power and range. At least compared to my old bow, anyway."

"I know, but I was sure there was something to it. Maybe you should stop by that shooting gallery we found on the way here. After we're done here I mean. Find out just how good you are."

"What would I get out of it Tael?" I asked. "Alright, a bit of practice can't go amiss, but likely I'd just win more rupees no matter how good or bad I do. It's not as if I'm short of them."

"Guess you're right. Maybe on a quieter run or something then," he said, as we passed through the door to the last room.

This one was easily the largest of the Temple. Water covered the bottom, all purified by now. There were four pillars, two with fire on them and two without. In the flames of one was a bubble with one Stray Fairy.

I knew from the map that there were a number of alcoves in the same wall the door was in, three on either side and among them were three more Stray Fairies, completing the collection – once I got them.

There were also a number of Deku flowers dotted about the room, some on floating platforms that ignored and sometimes shoved the two Dragonflies in the room, and on the right was a familiar sight – a crystal switch. This one looked like the variety that only stayed switched for a short time.

I shot the two Dragonflies then shot the crystal, causing the two flares of fire to fade. While they were down I shot free the Stray Fairy, leaving the Great Fairies Mask to attract it to me. Meanwhile I floated out and looked through the alcoves, spotting one on what was now my far right, and the other two one above the other in alcoves right beside the door. That gave me all fifteen Stray Fairies, as confirmed by the Bomber's Notebook.

Had I not had the benefit of my mind, or been so willing to employ it, my next step would have been to use the Deku flowers about the room to make my way across, having to shoot the crystal switch in passing and making a run – or fly – for it while they were down.

Since I didn't have to do that and I could just float about wherever I wanted, I ignored the whole lot and went straight for the boss door.

"This is it Tael. Our first big boss guy."

"Your Hero's sense tell you that?"

"It's kind of a tradition," I explained. "I go to monster-infested dungeons and temples, go on an extermination spree, find treasures and stuff, get the special item, then go to the ornate door with the ornate key to find and beat up the boss. Also the map has a skull symbol behind this door, and the dungeons I went to in Hyrule all used that to signify the boss."

"Know what to do then?"

"Nope!" I answered cheerfully. "I have absolutely no idea what to expect. But I usually muddle through somehow. Keep your eyes peeled for any openings I can use, Fairy boy."

"Wait, hold up here. You're going to go against what you _know_ is the Temple's boss, the hardest creature you can go up against right now probably, you have no idea what to expect and you're still going to do it?"

"Called being a Hero, Tael," I grinned, then just let us in. I paid little attention to the door sealing itself behind us. This room was not brightly lit, just enough to see by. Designs covered the walls of the circular room, in the exact centre a large if yellowing Deku flower like the one in Clock Town. More decorative pots were scattered around the walls. While it was quiet I glanced into one, finding several conveniently placed crossbow bolts. They were used to replenish my supplies, noting with interest that as I took them out of the pot, more appeared. _Very_ useful.

I kept my mind searching warily in case the Majora's Mask was here at all, just as warily edging into the room with sword and shield at the ready, only to pause when I crossed some unseen threshold that caused phantom jungle drums to start playing, echoing about the room. The sound of rushing air came from above and a giant warrior with a great sword and shield far bigger than my own descended, landing easily.

It looked like a colourful depiction of a warrior, painted all over in colours of the jungle, greens and reds and occasionally blue as well. The face was clearly a mask, concealing any features but the glowing red eyes behind its warlike painted face.

"Odolwa!" Tael exclaimed. "I thought he was just a legend!"

"If you tell me how to beat him, I'll see if I can arrange that for you!" I replied, jumping aside as the great sword was swung for me. I tried to dart in for his legs only to be driven back by the oncoming sword again.

"I don't remember anything helpful Silver," Tael protested, trying to follow without getting caught himself. "He was, well, a legend."

"He's about as real as they come right now, so do something!"

"You said you had to get an item in every dungeon that was essential – so use the damn crossbow, you oversized hedgehog!"

I let the remark pass, backing off to change arms. The main flaw to the crossbow was that I had to wield it two-handed, leaving no room for anything else. I was just about able to hold Farore's Wind, just in case I needed to move quicker, but that was all.

Odolwa watched from the new distance between us as I tried not to fumble loading bolts into the crossbow and mechanism. I shot the first bolt at him and he swiftly put the shield in its path, the bolt shattering against it. I aimed higher for his head, and the shield followed, lower and he leapt up and closer – and I only just managed to use the spell to get us clear in time.

"Some Hero you are!" Tael remarked.

"I'm working on it, alright?" I snapped back. "I just have to find an opening."

Odolwa helpfully, if unknowingly, provided just that, making a hollow cry that sounded something like 'aw-ha-die'. Don't ask me, I don't know. With that possibly mystic chant he did an accompanying probably less mystical dance, so I unloaded the last two bolts at him while he was busy, using Farore's Wind again to arrive at his feet just as the bolts thunked into him, causing him to break off, staggering back. I changed to the sword alone and started hacking away at whatever I could reach. Mostly just his legs at this stage.

Then he recovered and gave a hollow cry, leaping up and over me. I turned as quick as I could, narrowly avoiding getting smashed away by the sword – I really did not want to get caught by that! If the edge on it was as good as my own, it'd mean no more me far too easily!

Now we were facing off against each other again, but this time I knew how to handle him and I ha a plan forming. Rather than sheath the sword I stuck it under the belt of my tunic as I'd done many times before in Hyrule, switching back to the crossbow and Farore's Wind. I made some show of taking aim and Odolwa, anticipating this, moved his shield accordingly in preparation.

Then I used the spell to teleport behind him and got three shots into his back before he turned around angrily, swiping at what quickly became empty air as I repeated and loosed the rest of the bolts into him, causing him to stagger back again.

Rather than go for his legs again this time I went for his back, stabbing in where I suspected anything rather essential for life would be. Odolwa cried out at each stab and writhed, but I held on tightly to what appeared to be highly ceremonial armour and continued my assault.

Finally with a despairing cry that sounded oddly like he was gibbering in terror, he sank down in defeat, writhing on the floor for a time before he was consumed by blue fire. All that was left afterwards was the mask that had been on his face, and it had a presence about it.

_"Hear my words, Hero of Time,"_ a voice sounded in my head, harsh and hollow like Odolwa's. _"I am the demon Odolwa, enslaved by the demon Majora. Wear not the mask that is my prison, lest Majora's wrath enslave you also, forcing you to become what you have slain. Though you have defeated my form, his dark influence remains deep upon me. Instead I ask you to keep me with you, Hero of Time, though it means I will live again in the form you have vanquished should you return to the past. When the time comes for you to confront the demon Majora I will come to your aid, as will the demons he has enslaved at the other Temples of this land of Termina."_

Then Odolwa's voice fell silent. Tael hovered nearby.

"Did... that thing just talk to us?"

"You heard it to?" I asked, startled. "I thought... never mind."

"Silver... what it said... it's a demon."

"It's being forced against its will. Never mind what it is. Odolwa no doubt resents Majora using him like this, and the other demons probably feel the same way. They may be willing to join ranks with Odolwa and help us against Majora."

"But what about afterwards, Silver? What if they threaten Termina again?"

"Then they know I can defeat them, because I'll have done it before. That blue portal over there will take us out, if it's like Hyrule's ones," I said, spotting the blue circle of light. "We'll take it, restore the Great Fairy and then see about the local guardian."


	20. Princess and Rewards

The portal, had been common through all of Hyrule's Temples, did not take us immediately back to the outside world. Instead we arrived in a kind of dream world filled with bubbles – or Shaboms as Navi would have called them – a lot of water falling from a blank white sky, and a lone if massive tree-trunk I was stood on with Tael.

"Where are we? I thought you said this'd take us outside, Silver," Tael said almost accusingly.

"It might be something necessary," I replied. "Look there – is that a figure, behind that waterfall?"

That waterfall slowly descended, cut off at whatever unseen source had been above. It revealed a red figure, but it had no body as such – it was just a face with arms and legs attached.

"One of the Guardians," Tael murmured. "We must have released him when we defeated Odolwa."

"We?" I asked archly.

"Oh, stop that. Get out that Ocarina too. You want to keep him protected when we go back in time, don't you?" he added after my puzzle look.

As I took it out one long, giant arm reached out and extended a single figure that was still easily bigger than me, tapping the Ocarina of Time almost gently. Then it pointed to me, back to the Ocarina, then itself and raised it's deep resonant voice in a tune that first descended, then rose again.

"Is it... trying to teach me a song?" I wondered. The Guardian repeated its song then looked expectantly to me, so I played the song. It guided me through it, singing the right note so I'd get it right myself until it was satisfied, then performed a gesture that no creature from Termina should have known. It raised one hand to the side of its head, extending thumb and finger between ear and where I assumed its mouth was.

"Now what is it trying to say?" Tael wondered.

"If it knows what that means to me, it's telling us to call them."

The Guardian gave us a thumbs up, then put its hands together in a silent clap that turned our view bright white. When it cleared we were back in the Woodfall Temple, but as the blue light gently set us down I could tell that aside from the jungle designs on the walls, there was nothing familiar about it. It was a room I hadn't been in, and since the only exit was through a curtain of slight and fading sunlight that told us we'd been here for a while.

"Y'know," Tael said reluctantly. "You were pretty brave back there. I didn't think you were serious about having done all this before, but after that... can't doubt it any more."

"Just think. You get to see it three more times yet," I told him.

"Is someone there?" a Deku voice squeaked.

Tael and I shared a look, then I called out, "Would you be the Deku Princess, by any chance? Where are you?"

"Behind these vines, behind you," she replied.

"Stand back then, I'll cut them away for you. I'm Silver, your resident Hero, and I'm here to get you safely back to your father."

I waited until I'd heard the rustling stop then made several slashes to cut away the thick jungle vines, revealing a Deku Scrub that had to be her.

"Just a moment," she told me, coming close and sniffing. "As I thought. There's a monkey's scent on you. Is the monkey alright?"

"Your father was close to trying to punish him, but I think I talked him out of it."

"What?" she exclaimed, then got hold of herself again. "Wait, how did you do that? My father is very stubborn.

"He thinks... well, watch. I don't normally do this in front of anyone else, but it'll explain a lot."

I took out the Deku mask and changed back to that form, quickly stowing away the Hylian mask.

"A Silverwood Scrub... father said he'd seen one when he was a boy, but I've never seen one myself. But just now you looked human."

"I'm not actually either, I just borrow the forms for a time. Please don't tell anyone that, it was very useful when persuading your father. Now, if you wouldn't mind I have to make one side trip to the Great Fairy, then we'll be on our way to see you safely back."

"And Deku boy here can terrify a few more of your King's court," Tael added, chuckling. "You should have seen him, Princess."

"Aren't you Tael?" she asked. "I saw you here a few days ago with that Skull Kid... and I thought he was responsible for all this," she went on suspiciously.

"He's making up for that by helping me," I said quickly. "I'm not familiar with Termina, so he's covering that for me. Now why don't we leave this place Princess? I may not be a real Silverwood Scrub, but I'm sure I can still give you a means of getting around you'll find nowhere else."

She looked curious, but gave a royal nod and wave of agreement. As I'd done for others before, I simply lifted the two of us up and floated out into the fading light of sunset. This lone room of the Woodfall Temple came out of the back and even headed directly for the route back to the Deku Palace.

I made the diversion to the Great Fairies Fountain, who much like her sister took a nice refreshingly direct approach to things once restored.

"You've no idea how hard it is to think when you're scattered like that," she confided in me. "Anyway, I'm the Great Fairy of Power here in Termina, and also the protector of the Deku Scrubs. So let me give you a little hand with your Deku form there. Rather than spitting nuts all the time, focus your mind instead and you'll create a magic bubble to shoot instead – useful if you run out of nuts. Now you show me your Ocarina to keep me safe and I'll give you the knowledge you need for that."

And that was it. I didn't even need to say a word. As we left though she made one last remark.

"When you go back to the dawn of the first day again, be sure to visit the beach. You'll meet someone there who'll definitely help you."

Useful advice. I'd have made a note of it, but once I'd finished helping any new people I could now the Temple had been cleansed, whoever she was referring to would probably show up in the Bomber's Notebook.

"Say, Silver," the Deku Princess said as we floated back again. "I know my father. He'll respond better if we work quickly. Do you have any way of making a sudden appearance?"

"I know just the thing. What have you got in mind?"

"Why don't you leave me somewhere safe – outside the Deku Palace, out of sight if you can reach that far – and march on in on your own. By the sounds of it that'll get his attention immediately. Then you can announce me and with a bit of magic, or whatever you're thinking of, I'll appear out of nowhere. If he's up to anything I'll see that and... well, leave that to me."

"I'm sure I can arrange a suitably impressive arrival for you, princess."

That turned out to be simple. Farore's Wind I guessed would treat the Palace and surrounds as one area, so all I had to do was find somewhere I could safely reach. Though she wasn't entirely happy about it, I left her beside the Deku short-cut, then went over to the two Deku Scrubs guarding the entrance and spoke very firmly to them, telling them that they could _not_ see the Deku Princess there and would under no circumstances worry about her or tell anyone because that was my responsibility. Since the word of my exploits in the palace itself had long since become swallowed by all kinds of wildly exaggerated rumours, they were only too happy to comply.

Then I marched on in to the palace, where over the fire was now a cauldron with the monkey now tied up above it. The more observant Scrubs took one look at me and ran, some dragging others with him. I went around it, flinging away and Scrub that got too close until I was stood before the Deku King.

"Just _what_ do you think you're doing?" I demanded. "Get that monkey down this instant!"

"How dare you? You come into my palace and force me to teach you the song of the royal family, then make wild claims about saving my daughter only to come back empty handed?"

"Empty handed?" I creaked ominously, then held out one hand with Farore's Wind in it and focused momentarily. In a whirl of green light the Deku Princess was whisked to my side. She took in the scene in a few quick glances then turned on her surprised father.

"What are you _doing_?" she exclaimed in tones that would have stripped a tree of its bark. "Don't you have any sensibilities at all? I told the monkey to come and warn you and this is what you do? Foolish, rash father! And you!" she turned on the court, who backed away even further. Even I had to be impressed. They'd been afraid of me, but faced with the Deku Princess with fury in full swing, they were absolutely terrified. "_Get that monkey down safely or it'll be you I throw into that pot!_" she told them in even worse tones than before. Rocks would have shrunk back from it.

"She has a wonderful touch to her," Tael whispered in my ear. "The way she said it even I felt a little guilty, and I didn't do anything. Except for the whole Skull Kid thing," he added at a glance from me.

There was a mass of activity as the cauldron was taken away, the monkey swung back to safety then untied and freed.

"You went and rescued her?" he asked me.

"Yeah, and I cleared out the Temple of monsters too. Someone left a creature known as Odolwa there who wasn't easy to defeat, but I dealt with him too. The swamp water should be returning to normal now."

"I thought so. I couldn't do anything. I'm just a monkey, after all. Are you alright Princess?"

"Oh, I'm fine," she told us airily. "It's my father who has to worry. Don't worry about things here, Silver. I'll take care of him. He's busy talking to our butler now, who'll prepare a gift for you we hope you'll accept. And," she leaned closer. "We'll keep it quiet about your not really being a Deku. Father wouldn't like that. If we can help you at all in return..."

"It wouldn't last," I told her. "Keep this to yourself too, but I'm trying to stop the moon, and that means I have limited time. I've got a way to make the most of it by re-doing these few days over as many times as I need, but if I do-"

"Then I have to be rescued again, the swamp cleansed and everything," The princess finished. "Can't you protect something?"

"Of course. The Great Fairy and the Guardian I freed both have been. But them aside, it only works on items really."

"Then..." she thought for a moment. "Butler! Wait a moment!"

The Butler, who'd been leaving, joined them and bowed.

"What is your wish, Princess?" he asked.

"Go to my library and find the book on the Silverwood Deku Scrubs. It's on the second shelf up. I'd like Silver to have it. He's only a young Scrub as we can see, so it'll do him good to learn about the rest of his kind."

"Of course Princess. I shall give it to him along with the reward you have already arranged." He bowed again, then to me, "When you depart our palace I would appreciate it if you took a right-turn and followed the lilly pads around to the cave there. I will await you there."

"Oh, I should add," the princess said. "I took him aside and told him you're really human, so you won't have to stay Deku if you don't want to. Just him though. Now I really need to talk to my father..."

The monkey chuckled as she left. "Poor King. At least with her at his side again he'll make sensible choices again. I think he's learned to listen to her from that, not to mention you. Have you heard some of the rumours going around about you?"

"I'd rather not. Want to come on out with me?"

"Thanks, but the princess arranged for someone to get me something to eat, since the King forgot to feed me. I'll wait around for that."

I left him to it and headed back out through the Deku town again, where I once again got all kinds of attention. I was starting to get used to it now, it was just a shame I'd lose it each time I went back. It was nice of the princess to give me something to teach me more about what I appeared to be though – maybe I could use it to do this even better still on future passes if I needed.

The Deku Butler awaited me exactly where he said he'd be and asked me to follow him. For convenience, and because the Princess had told him, I changed back to Hylian and wore the Bunny Hood for best speed, and only floated over obstacles when they presented a danger or were necessary to keep up with the spry old Butler.

He did apologise at the end, saying I reminded him of his son and how they often raced, so may have tried to race me too. He still gave me the reward though, the Mask of Scents and some mushrooms from the Woods of Mystery, along with the book as promised.

The Bomber's Notebook was then consulted to see if there was anything else I could do. Several portraits had become slightly clearer, but interestingly a few had also turned darker – perhaps as a sign I'd missed an event with them. Since there were none clear enough to make out, I decided not was as good a time as any other to start over and do another 'help as many people as possible' set of days.


	21. Zora Shores

One of the interesting things this time around was that rather than everything fading to white then being placed simply at the front of the Clock Tower right at the start, I had a pause at the white stage. To one side, blurred and frozen in time, was that same location, Clock Town. On the other side of me was the Deku Palace, just inside the town itself. Perhaps by some agreement between the freed Guardian and the Goddess of Time, I'd been permitted to start at the dawn of the first day, at the Deku Palace instead.

This, especially if I added other locations with the other three Guardians, would come in very useful – but I wasn't a Deku Scrub right now, and I didn't think it'd be a good idea for a human to appear out of nowhere in the centre of the Deku town, so I headed to the familiar Clock Town.

"Another helping run?" Tael asked as time started around us, with the usual complete lack of attention regarding my appearance.

"Yeah," I agreed. "We'll find somewhere we can consult the notebook, probably the laundry pool again, then see how many people there are to help. I'm willing to bet we'll have to work a lot harder to figure out who's who an where to find them. And I think we'll let them see the real me, so you can see the kinda reaction we'll get."

"Really, you don't have to," Tael told me. "I got to see with your friend."

"I want to see it as well, so it's no problem. Laundry pool first though."

There were some very interesting looking people in the notebook this time. One, for a moment, I thought was still unclear until I looked closer. Whoever it was, they looked like some kind of deformed cross between a Skulltula and a distorted human face – perhaps a curse?

"I heard there was a place called the Fearful Skulltula House in the swamp," Tael remarked. "Supposedly there's some kind of treasure there, but they also say there's a curse on it. Maybe he fell foul of it?"

"Can't hurt to check it out," I replied, making a mental note of this then continuing down the list of faces. Quite a few were much clearer now, but very few were clear enough to signify I could help them right now. Perhaps I might be able to help some, but not finish the chain of events that would follow?

There was a tattooed Zora that looked very weak, by the looks of the surroundings he was in some water. Perhaps he was the one the Great Fairy had told me about? I'd have to go search the beach at the Great Bay and hope I could find him before time and whatever had weakened him carried him off.

Also among them were five Goron faces – one far older than the others, another belonging to what I assumed was a Goron child. A third was so large that it had to be some relative of Biggoron, if not the massive Goron himself on holiday, and the fourth was a pearly-grey that suggested he was already dead.

The fifth had a mask on his head – or hers for all I know, there was as far as I could tell no way to, well, tell the difference, which must make Goron relationships rather cautious affairs. It could be a bit embarrassing if you asked a Goron only to find she may well have been a he instead – or the reverse.

"Lot of Gorons," Tael remarked. "Practically confirms Snowhead to be the next location to visit. We'll want to go north for them, and any Gorons who are up there can help direct us to those who aren't."

"Right. I want to visit this Zora first, then we'll check up on the Skulltula house of yours before we visit them," I decided. "But first... anyone around?"

Tael flew a ways up the path back into the main part of town, but appeared to find nothing so I restored my own form. As comfortable as I was being Hylian, I wanted to at least try to spend some time as myself.

The beach and Great Bay were to the west, and despite the carnival crowds my very appearance meant people seemed to want to get out of my way. No one actually said anything as such, but I got the impression that people were trying to decide whether I was a monster, or had as my clothing suggested some semblance of civilization to me.

It was rather disappointing, to tell you the truth. I was almost hoping that someone would say something, but not even the guard did. Either he wanted me to leave, or he saw the sword more readily this time and just let me.

Once out on the field I dropped any pretence of being normal and took to the air instead, partly because I had no patience for the Leevers, and I didn't want to miss the Zora entirely. He hadn't looked like he was going to hold on for long as it was.

The Great Bay was Termina's opening on to the ocean, and but for a few landmarks and large rocks, there was very little there but beach. Two huts were nestled between some rocks, and further up I got the idea of monster life.

Fortunately it didn't take long to find the stricken Zora. I looked out toward a platform out at sea, and as I scanned the water I found what I was looking for – a tattooed Zora floating limply on the water's surface.

"Good Gods," Tael breathed. "It can't be, can it? Silver, is he still alive? You gotta be able to tell that, surely! Is he-"

"Give me a moment will you," I replied irritably, landing on the shore as I reached out to him. I got the sense of the Zora's presence, but very weakly. "Only just," I reported. "Give me a moment to concentrate."

Having found the Zora's mind already it was easy to take hold of him, carefully in case he was injured at all.

"Leevers, Silver," Tael warned. I just touched a hand to Din's Fire and sent it blasting behind me, keeping the most of my focus on getting the Zora to shore. "I suppose that's one way to do it," he sighed. "He looks bad."

"You know him, don't you?" I asked, setting him down on the sand. "Don't tell me you don't, you acted as if you did."

"Roll him over Silver, I have to see him from the front to be sure."

I did so, noting that the Zora was in even worse shape than before, battered and bruised and with a lot of injuries that looked as if he'd only just had enough strength for his wounds to close and get out to sea.

"Well?" I said impatiently.

"Oh hell. It is and all," Tael said. "That's Mikau. He's the lead guitarist of the Zora band the Indigo-gos."

I recognised the name. When I'd been defrosting Zora's Domain in Hyrule's future, the Zora shopkeeper had made a mention of him being Mikau's cousin.

"That's me," Mikau said in a weak voice, warbling slightly the same way other Zoras had when out of water. "Tell Lulu... I'm sorry. The pirates... they have the Zora eggs. I couldn't get them back."

"Take it easy there," I told him. "You're in a bad way. Tael, where do the Zora's live? We've got to take him there to see if they can do anything."

"No," Mikau protested. "Too late. But you..." he focused on me with some effort. "Green... and a fairy. Lulu mentioned... are you Silver?"

"Yeah. How did Lulu know? No, don't answer that, I'll ask her, you save your strength."

"Silver. Lulu said. If I saw you... the song that heals."

Sound familiar? I wasn't certain how Lulu had heard of me, or how she'd known about the Song of Healing, but even though I'd never met this Lulu I did exactly as she had told Mikau and played that song.

There was a bright flash, then I was in a blurry dream-scene, much like when I'd been turned into a Deku Scrub, only this time I wasn't a Deku, a Hylian or even myself. I had no control over my actions in this scene, but I was walking, and I occasionally caught sight of a Zora-blue arm with Mikau's tattoos on it.

Next to me walked a tall Zora woman who reminded me of Ruto a bit. Somehow I knew this was the Zora Lulu that Mikau had spoken of. We walked through the darkened scene for a time, then stopped as two spotlights illuminated us. Three more lit up, revealing three more Zoras each with an instrument. One sat behind what looked like a piano made from bone.

Beside him was a Zora with what appeared to be the Zora equivalent of long hair and a similarly made guitar, and the last Zora was a rather rotund one sat behind some drums that had been coloured to look like Zoras.

As Mikau, I turned in the spotlight and brought out another guitar. Lulu turned too, and as one Zora band, the Indigo-gos, I played their song – and knew the song, the Ballad of the Wind Fish. I knew how to play Mikau's guitar, remembered as he'd braved the Gerudo Fortress to rescue Lulu's Zora Eggs only to be attacked and thrown out, barely alive.

The song ended with another flash, leaving me stood along but for Tael on the Great Bay shore. Mikau was gone, but his guitar remained in the same hands that had been playing the Song of Healing. It was his hands holding the guitar.

"Silver?" Tael asked hesitantly. "Is that..."

"Yeah," I answered, my own voice Mikau's complete with the out-of-water warble. "I guess... the song did this. I don't seem to have his injuries so..."

"Maybe he wanted you to try to do what he couldn't?" Tael suggested. "Man... look at you! Everyone's gonna be mistaking you for him, even the rest of the band!"

"That's alright. I think I've got his memories too, and the skills with it. I wonder though..." I trailed off, then felt just behind the ears and tugged slightly. Mikau's face became a mask, the Zora mask, and I was returned to my own form. "That's a relief," I breathed. "I half expected to be stuck as him until I did what he'd tried to do. Not that I'm not going to, but..."

"Right. Gorons first, there's a lot of them that need helping," Tael agreed. "Then we'll come back here, you can become Mikau again and go help the Zoras."

* * *

"Wait, you actually _became_ him?" Sonic asked, disbelievingly.

"Sure," Silver replied, still in his Hylian form as he'd talked. "Remember what I said the Mask man told me? It heals troubled spirits and turns them into masks – just with Mikau, it's as if the mask was applied while I was experiencing that flashback of his."

"And the skills?" Knuckles asked. "Were you right about that too?"

"Watch and see," he said with a smirk. He took off the Hylian mask and replaced it with the same Zora mask he'd just told them about, becoming the Zora guitarist once again. When he took out the Ocarina of Time it blurred into Mikau's guitar, which he then played a short tune on.

"Damn," Tails laughed. "Now I envy you. I reckon you got a way better transformation than mine with that."

"Alright Silver, lets hear you play a real song on that," Knuckles said. "You said Mikau was in a band, so you must know a few."

"Well sure, but they kinda need the rest of the band-" he broke off and looked thoughtful. "Actually, there is a way. I used it once while I was still in Termina, but if I do it now you'll only ask questions, because it uses a song I hadn't learned at this point in the story, not to mention the fourth transformation mask."

"Well get on and tell the story then will you?" Scourge told him. Silver waved one blue hand at him.

"Don't be so impatient. I've got more than a few abilities as a Zora that make me just as dangerous you know."

"Well then we'll just have to gang up against you, won't we?" a new voice came from the doorway.

* * *

**A/N: **So who's the newcomer? You probably have a few guesses, but I'm keeping quiet until the next chapter.

As you've noticed though, there's a couple of deviations I didn't want to spoil, hence this at the end instead of the start. Since he didn't take Epona to Termina, that lets him sequence-break just slightly, and then of course there's the differences to the mask. I figure since the Goron and Zora masks are the spirits of Darmani and Mikau, the masks actually lend their form to Silver instead of creating a form, like Goron and Zora Link. This, as you might imagine, has some interesting story implications later on.

_Very_ interesting implications.


	22. A Dangerous Truth

Stood in the doorway of Tails' workshop was a hedgehog. He resembled Sonic in many ways and he was also blue, though several shades lighter. He also wore clothes that were reminiscent of the Hero's clothes each of the other Heroes wore, but again there were differences. The tunic had arms in a similar colour to the tunic, and unlike any of their tunics it also had white leggings with it. It was, however, blue just like the bearer.

"What're you all staring at?" he demanded impudently. "Didn't ya ever see a Hero before?"

"Hey, wait up there – you ain't the only one y'know," a matching voice added, and a second hedgehog came into view – identical to the first except that it was red with a red tunic. "We're all Heroes, remember?"

"No, I'm fairly sure he said we're a part of him, and that he was the one what was a real Hero," a third one disagreed, joining them – again identical, but this one was purple instead.

"Alright, that's enough," one more added. "Cut 'em some slack guys."

"Oh, come on," Sonic sighed. "How many more of you are there?"

"Just me, bro," the fourth one said, coming into view. Manic was definitely the real one, a green hedgehog wearing the Hero's green. Like his various coloured twins his tunic also had arms and leggings, though in concession to the way he styled his quills the green cap was pushed back, not covering it but leaving the cap looking like it was going to slip off the other quills. Something must have stopped it though.

"Does someone want to explain?" Knuckles asked, eyeing Manic and his three twins warily. One hand was already part way to the hilt of his sword.

"Dude, stop that," Blue told him. "We're not like the one you made."

"Nah, we're brighter than old Dark," Red put in. "He got no idea how to deal with the four of us at once y'know."

"'specially not after we nicked his sword," Purple smirked.

"I see that hasn't changed," Sonic muttered.

"Hey, what d'ya expect of me?" the real Manic asked, unabashed. "Didn't see any reason to change it. Ezlo had a couple probs with it, but who cares? Didn't hurt no one, so what's the problem?"

Tails nudged Silver, "I don't suppose you can explain what we're looking at?"

"I think so," Silver replied. "It's really rather remarkable. Puts my solution to shame really, since I was rather limited by having one mind. In their case, they're actually four separate, but identical minds. Couldn't tell you how he did it though."

"'kay boys, let 'em be," Manic told his copies. "I'll explain, otherwise we'll never get anywhere."

The three copies each touched the sword sheathed on Manic's back, vanishing with a very slight flash. "They're great company, but they used to drive poor Ezlo to distraction. Now lemme guess – I know you guys are all Heroes too, 'cept for my bro there-" Sonic's expression darkened again. "But I'm guessing you all got a hand on the Master Sword, right?"

"I _forged_ the Master Sword," Knuckles told him. "You all got to use my handiwork."

"Even Jet did for a little time during fighting Zant," Tails added. "Had to ask the Goddesses to bend the rules slightly for me though."

"Yeah, well, it ain't a patch on _my_ sword," Manic told them, drawing it out. Like the Master Sword it had a polished silver blade, but in place of the indigo handle and Triforce, Manic's sword had a brightly burnished golden one with a shining emerald set into a ring below the handle. "Might not look like much, but this here is the Four Sword," he told them. "And you saw what I can do with it. Safer than what you done too," he added to Knuckles.

"Alright, don't rub it in, I know creating Dark was a mistake," Knuckles grumbled. "Even Fi told me there was a fair chance he'd escape my control, but I needed a second pair of hands and he _was_ useful."

"Shoulda borrowed my sword then, if it were around at the time," Manic told him smugly. "Hey bro? How come you're not wearing green yet?"

"I don't have have any, alright?" Sonic replied darkly. "You guys all got that. Even he-" he pointed at Scourge. "Got to wear green, even if he isn't a Hero."

"Hey, blame the Great Deku Tree," Scourge replied. "He's the one who gave me and Silver practically the same look. At least until he dispelled it."

Manic looked thoughtful, then up to Silver. "Nice look," he remarked. "Can I talk to you a moment? I wanna run something past you, and I wanna keep it a surprise."

Silver looked surprised, but followed Manic and held a hushed conversation. Silver had to explain something a few times but Manic listened intently, making his own contributions. Finally there was a pause and Silver burst out laughing, sounding unusual with Mikau's Zora voice.

"But not just yet," he told Manic as they returned. "Let me finish telling this story, then I'll see about something."

* * *

Since I still had plenty of the morning left and plenty of people to see, I headed back out on to Termina Field heading for the southern reaches so I could handle the Fearful Skulltula House in the swamp, then head north for the Gorons of Snowpeak.

And since I had so much time to spare for a change, I felt no need to hurry. I also put the Zora mask back on and decided to get acquainted with my new form. I found I could still wield my sword, though the small Kokiri Sword was not going to be as effective as the skills Mikau had passed on to me. He had a fair turn of strength, meaning I could throw a punch or kick that would be just as effective.

Other items I had varying degrees of success with however. The crossbow was a possibility, but it was not ideal. The trigger for it had been designed for a Hylian boy or perhaps a hedgehog, not a Zora guitarist.

On the other hand, Biggoron's massive blade was a far more interesting possibility. As I had in Hyrule I still had to use my mind to lighten its great weight, but since Mikau was, among other things, also a warrior I was able to handle it with relative ease. Like the Kokiri Sword it'd be relatively useless in water though, but the Zora people had evolved a way around that too.

I found that while like all Zoras I had two fins on the backs of my arms, Mikau had a little magic that allowed them to detach and become a weapon, acting very much like a pair of twinned boomerangs.

Further to that a touch of magic applied slightly differently allowed one of the fins to become a large shell shield, and if I pushed a little more magic to it I became surrounded by a blue barrier that, as several Guays found to their detriment, an electro-static barrier. Means you get an electric shock by touching it.

While out of water there was no way I could project that and move at the same time, but the memories I'd borrowed too showed Mikau knew this and he also knew that the shell shield would not stand up to the swift turn of speed I now had, the electric barrier was a perfect offensive and defensive tool.

I practised with these new abilities along the way to the swamp, though in truth there hadn't been much need. Mikau's skills were my skills, borrowed with the form and the promise that I'd try to do what he had failed to. I hoped he understood that I wasn't abandoning that, I just felt I had to help the Gorons before I turned my attention to the Zora troubles.

Tael meanwhile was beside himself in what can only be called an extended fanboy moment.

"I mean how cool is this? I'm gonna be the envy of everyone! I mean I know you're not him, but everyone's gonna think you're him, and you look and sound like him and everything, so that means you _are_ him, and I get to hang out with you, and can you imagine how cool that is? I get to hang out with Mikau of all people, and there's gotta be like... like everyone everywhere who wishes they could, he's the lead-"

"Lead guitarist of the Indigo-gos," I sighed wearily, having put up with this the whole way and heard it too many times before. I wondered if Mikau had had to put up with this as well. "I don't know what's worse, Tael. The way you treated me as a Deku Scrub, the way you're treating me now, or the kind of reaction I think I'm gonna get if I just walk through town like this."

"Hey, look at it from the other side. There's gotta be tons of people who wish they were Mikau, and you're the only one ever who actually gets to live out that dream. And you got Lulu too-" he stopped, mostly because I had too. "What?"

"Oh, gods, not again," I groaned.

"What?" he demanded impatiently.

"Lulu is Mikau's girlfriend. This is the second time I've had a Zora with a love interest in me."

"Really? Should be used to it then," Tael said as if this was nothing out of the ordinary. "Who was the first?"

"Princess Ruto, of the Hylian Zoras. I needed the Spiritual Stone of water in her care, and she insisted she wasn't going to give it to anyone except the man who was going to marry her."

"Heh. You got suckered into that one," Tael chortled. "And now you got Lulu. Ooh, competition!"

"No, I managed to get out of that one. Ruto's the Water Sage, which got me out of it."

"Too bad about this then, huh? Though I guess you should thank that Ruto – you got an idea of what to expect with Lulu!"

"Look, I'm not going to take advantage of this, Tael. I'm not Mikau, and if I meet her I'll tell her what happened so she understands."

"Oh come on, aren't you the least bit interested in what you'd get? You said yourself you got Mikau's memories and everything, so you know how he feels and everything and-"

"And I'm not a complete fanboy fairy like you, Tael. I'm sure you'd like to in my place, but that's you. She deserves to know."

"But Silver-"

"I said no, Tael."

He sighed, but then brightened again almost immediately as he went off on another fanboy moment. I swear that fairy could go on about Mikau for hours at a time and not even realise.

Along the way into the swamp I stopped by the shooting gallery we'd noticed before, temporarily giving up the Zora form to handle the crossbow better then trying my chances with it. My first attempt made me back the rupees I'd spent on it and given me some practice, and the second won me an extra hundred rupees on top of what I'd paid. I noticed during that run that the targets were the same and appeared at the same times each time, so on the third run I not only managed a perfect run but was rewarded with a larger bolt pouch.

Despite Tael's reaction to it I did resume Zora form outside. I wasn't entirely certain if my actions in the swamp had kept the water purified throughout time or if I'd have to go into the temple again for that, but I figured that either way, I'd be able to handle it better.

It turned out to be even better than that. Though I didn't dare try to swim in the water, since that would let the tainted water get into the Zora system through the gills, as Mikau I was more than tall enough to wade through without a problem. A few Deku Nuts persuaded the Big Octorok to let me through with a noisy and slightly slimy affectionate snuffle at me, and before long I found the Fearful Skulltula House.

Aside from the freakish deformed Skulltula-person at the entrance, I can't say the place was all that fearful. He told me he'd been cursed by the Skulltulas inside for taking their treasure, and asked me to defeat them.

I'm not going to go into too much detail here, since it's not really very interesting. I once again took the opportunity to practice with the Zora skills, using my mind and occasionally an insight from Tael to locate all of the golden-backed Skulltulas.

When I made my way back to the entrance the person had been restored to human form, pushing the mask he'd taken on to me as thanks, calling it the Mask of Truth then leaving.

It was an interesting mask. It was white, with red designs on it that were very reminiscent of certain Shiekah designs I'd seen in Hyrule, and it even had the sense of a magical presence about it.

I was curious, so I made a very stupid mistake. One I couldn't have known was a mistake until _after_ I'd made it, but it was a mistake all the same. Of course, I put it on.

And screamed.

No, I didn't get transformed or anything. I did tear the mask off and stared at it in shock for a long time before I finally got hold of myself again, during which Tael hovered nearby in concern, occasionally flitting outside to check to see if anyone was there.

When I finally recovered I explained to Tael what had happened.

"This mask," I told him. "This is dangerous. At least to me. You know when I was saying about reading minds?"

"Yeah. You said it wasn't possible, too many thoughts and all that."

"Right. Well... I think normally – that is, for someone without my mind – if you wear this, you might be able to hear the thoughts of animals and such – creatures with simple minds and such. And then only if you were close to them, or in contact with them."

"Sounds harmless enough," Tael said.

"It is, but you're forgetting my mind. Think about it Tael. I can sense the presence of every mind around me. Even the animal and monster ones, though the simpler their minds are the harder they are to detect."

"Oh. Oh, I think I get it," he said quietly. "It... your mind enhanced the effect of the mask and..."

"I got the thoughts of everything in range of my mind," I nodded weakly. "You have no idea how overwhelming that is."

"I dunno, the screaming gives some impression. You got my thoughts too then, I guess."

"I got everything's thoughts. Yours were in there, but I couldn't tell you what they were. There were too many to try to distinguish any single thought. Needle in a haystack and all that. I'm definitely not wearing this thing again unless I have to."

"I don't blame you that Silver, but..."

"What?"

"Well, you know that Mask Man? He appeared when you called, right? Well... why not ask him next time you get a mask and don't know what it does? I mean, he'd understand, wouldn't he? It's not like you're not working on getting his mask back, you're just making use of his expert skills."

"We should probably have thought of that before. Long time before," I corrected, wincing back from even the memory of the overwhelming welter of sudden thoughts I'd heard.


	23. The Goron Hero

**A/N: **Almost forgot to answer this last chapter. Yes, I'm going to be persuading Silver to fetch all the masks, because the Fierce Deity's Mask has a bit more plot to it than normal. See what Odolwa told Silver for a few hints, and pay attention to what the other bosses say when he defeats them to get an even greater idea - along with a few suggestions that reach outside Majora's Mask.

* * *

The route to Snowhead was reached by a snowy path in the northern reaches of Termina Field, and it wasn't long after I got into that part of the field that I found one of the dangers of being a Zora – while in water, and to some degree out of water I was going to be a dangerous opponent, the cold was a similar enemy to me. I'll admit it was with some reluctance I returned to my own form.

There was another problem before we reached Snowhead. At the peak of the snowy path was a barrier of ice that stubbornly refused to submit to Din's Fire, though I did melt enough of the snow to cause a few miniature avalanches.

"Hey, Silver," Tael said after I'd blasted them to no effect. "Look up there. That ice looks like it's only just hanging there. If you used something strong enough..."

"Good thing I've got the crossbow then, eh?" I asked. On the ground I was too close to aim properly, and if I wanted to stay grounded the best place to try would be from the grassy area not far outside Clock Town. Instead of that however I simply floated up, took aim at very close range. A crossbow had considerable piercing power as it was, and this close, just far enough away that any shards of ice that flew out would not catch me, one bolt aimed at the thinnest point pierced it with no trouble at all, dropping the chunk down where it shattered noisily on the ice, cracking up that ice too. I had a way through.

Though most masks didn't really fit too well in my own form, I did take out the Bunny Hood once again, as the boundless energy it gave me was going to be very helpful. It meant I'd have less chance to fall through the crunching, hard-packed snow as I wandered up the route, passing giant boulders formed entirely from snow.

I met the familiar enemy in the Blue Tektites, not really a threat as I could just run past them. Normally I'd have slain them too, but since they'd only be back with the Song of Time, I felt I could get away with not bothering unless it was part of a puzzle or they just annoyed me.

Several times I encountered a wall of snow-boulders, the snow so tightly packed that Din's Fire again had too small an effect. Bombs, however, blasted them into chunks of snow that were thrown in all directions, causing me to experience what has probably never been done before – hitting _myself_ in the face with a snowball that you could say I'd thrown. Granted with a bomb, but still my fault.

Tael laughed merrily at that until a smaller one almost caught him.

Following the trail and uncovering a half-buried sign told me that the large clearing I finally emerged into – clearing here used loosely – was the Mountain Village... consisting of all of one hut. Which was a smithy that had no work because the cold was smothering the heat they needed to work, so I left them alone.

Aside from the 'village' there was little else here. A rocky wall led up to a cavern in the rocks above with two Gorons outside, one of which had actually been frozen in ice. At the base of the rock wall was a partly frozen lake, fed from a completely frozen stream and even a frozen waterfall. Not far from there was the Goron wearing a mask I'd seen in the Notebook, the mask looking like a frog. He was shivering and trying to keep warm, and a brief conversation with him told me that he felt too hungry to get down from the ledge he was on. That at least told me what I needed to do for him.

The locals in the forge helpfully gave me a map drawn by Tingle on one of his previous visits, saving me the trouble of locating and shooting down the deranged fool. That coupled with my various other maps told me that while the Snowhead Temple lay north, there was a Goron village to the east – which I figured I needed to go to first, given how many Gorons appeared in the Notebook.

The route to the village was a deceptively simple one. When defrosted, the area was a large lake with three rocky islands reached by bridge, along with a steep slope on one side that led up to where the Goron Races were held.

Under the cover of snow and ice however, there were more troubles. Blue Tektites hid in the snow, leaping out at me unexpectedly, and once I got down to the first island I was confronted by a White Wolfos as well. These at least were not too hard to deal with, but until I got back into the habit of keeping my mind aware for hidden enemies every surprise attack left me temporarily open.

I did finish making my way to the Goron Village, though there were few Gorons out and about. Most of them I learned were hiding inside from the cold, and only Gorons could open the door simply by doing a ground-pound. Since I wasn't a Goron I couldn't do this, and the unlucky Goron at the door was too cold to let me in. I needed another way in.

"Didn't you say there was a dead Goron's spirit somewhere around here?" Tael reminded me. "Could you sense his mind if you looked for it?"

"I think so. I've never actually gone looking for the spirits of the dead before. Last time I went anywhere near them, they overwhelmed me and effectively locked me out of my own mind."

"Yeah, you mentioned – the Shadow Temple. Be funny if the same thing happens to you over in Ikana."

"Don't remind me. Hush now, so I can concentrate."

"Don't take too long about it then Silver, it's really cold here."

"Take cover in my cap again then? As long as I don't change form, you can use the fur on my quills to help keep you warm."

Tael gratefully did just that as I started searching the area, looking in more detail in case a spirit's mind was fainter than a living one. I found a mind that felt very different, but there was no way of telling what exactly was different about it, or even if it was the one I was after. Furthermore, once I found where it was I realized I was going to have to let the Gorons see what I could do, as it was waiting in a cavern in the side of a rock which had no path to it – just an immense canyon. I could get there, just not by any mundane means.

Fortunately the other Gorons were mostly inside and probably too cold to care, so I headed over anyway. There were no surprised Gorons or startled cries, so I assumed I was either unnoticed or just put down as some hallucination brought on by the cold.

There was nothing inside the cavern at first glance. I could not see any spirit or anything alive, only a large chest. Inside it was a familiar item, the Lens of Truth. Through it I cast a fresh eye on the room, finding two more chests, one containing rupees and another, once an otherwise invisible Skulltula had been fended off, some bolts.

It was when I turned the lens toward the entrance as I made to leave that I found the mind I'd sensed, a pearly grey Goron floating in the air. He was far bigger than most Gorons, clearly a powerhouse and a warrior. A large scar went over his phantasmal chest, though it looked more like a crack in a rock that had the benefit of slowly healing itself.

"So at last you can see me," the Goron said, the voice sounding as if it was coming from a long way off. "I felt your touch on my spirit and went outside to observe your arrival. You are a most remarkable little creature... but I fear you cannot help me."

"Don't be so quick to write me off," I told him. "I'm a Hero, after all, and I'm in the area hoping to help."

"Perhaps there is something to what you say. I am Darmani the Third, Hero and guardian of the Goron Colony here in Termina. Winter has lingered past time here as you have no doubt noticed. It is caused by the unnatural winds blowing from the Snowhead Temple, a place once constructed in honour of winter and now overrun by monsters. I had intended to head there and put a stop to their actions, whatever they may be, but as I approached I was blown off by a blizzard and sent down into a valley – and though we Gorons are tough, we are not indestructible. Now I can only watch in death as Snowhead is buried in snow, as the old Goron Patriarch tries to find me leaving his son behind though he needs him yet. Were I living I would guide the Patriarch back to the colony, as he is not young and should not venture out in this weather."

"If you know where he is, I can guide him back," I supplied. "And I'd already planned to go to Snowhead and handle things there."

"Indeed? Are you perhaps the one spoken of by the Seer in the colony? He mentioned one who is not silver of body but Silver in name, who held the song that heals all ills."

"Yeah, that's me. Silver the Hedgehog and Hero of Time at your service. I know the song he's on about as well – 'all ills' is a bit inaccurate, but it helped the Zora guitarist Mikau not too long ago. Granted he wasn't dead, though he was on his way to it had I not intervened, but I reckon it should help you too."

I was banking on it, actually. I suspected I needed a Goron form to progress, and given that I already had a mask for all the other major races in Termina, that meant some Goron had to give me the last form. Darmani was, I hoped, that one.

"I will show you to where the other Gorons buried my living remains," Darmani decided. "Keep your eye on me through that lens and follow me as I lead you there. Should you lose sight of me, I will await you in the Mountain Village outside the smithy."

For a Goron and a spirit besides, Darmani moved at a fair turn of speed. In the air I just managed to keep up with him, but on the ground even with the benefits of the Bunny Hood I still had to really push myself to keep up. I'm sure Sonic wouldn't have had any trouble, but Termina had me, and it highlighted another more physical aspect I was lacking in. Hyrule had given me reason to keep up physical strength as well as mental, Termina was teaching me the benefits of being swift – the three days I had were more than example of that by themselves!

Darmani, though I'm skipping ahead a bit here by telling you this, gave me an alternative way to get around quicker if I didn't want to resort to Farore's Wind, and it was less remarkable than that too.

At any rate, I followed his lead back to the village, weaving through the monsters while keeping the Lens trained on him as best I could. Once in the village I was then lead over to the tall rocky wall, which he simply floated up. I considered climbing for a few moments before sense got the better of me and I just followed suit, flying past the one unfrozen and very startled looking Goron outside and into the cavern beyond.

Interestingly, around the site of his grave I no longer needed the Lens to see him. He said no more, but waited with the patience of the dead, waiting expectantly for me to do what I'd done for Mikau.

I had Tael emerge from my cap just in case I changed into a Goron because of this, then played the song again. Just as with Mikau, I was taken to another dream-scene – this time I was Darmani, surrounded by Gorons wishing me luck. I learned a vital Goron skill through this memory, curling up and rolling away as a Goron, noting that Darmani too had a touch of magic that meant if he got up enough speed the magic would create a body of spikes over him. Somehow despite the rapid rolling I was doing, I did not become disoriented and was even able to tell where I was and where I was going with relative ease.

As Darmani I followed the considerably less snowy route from the colony to the Mountain Village and from there up to Snowhead, giving me an idea of what to expect. As I progressed up the narrow path to Snowhead itself though, a great blizzard blew me back, then despite my best efforts to hold my ground, I was blown off.

That was when my view changed back to that of the cavern, now devoid of the spirit of Darmani, but leaving me in his form, with his skills and memories. Just as with Mikau, he had lent me this in exchange for the promise of helping his people.

Being a Goron was, I'll admit, rather fun. I doubt even Knuckles has the same kind of sheer physical power I had. I amused myself a little shattering rocks that previously would have required a bomb, and then some I doubted would have been damaged by them. Then a noticed a memory of Darmani's that told me that his remains were actually in the huge headstone centred in this depression, and that underneath was a hot spring.

With his immense strength, a novelty far from lost on me, I took hold of that headstone and heaved it back, expecting it to at least tax my strength – but it moved easily. I could tell by the weight it had that were I in any other form, I'd struggle to even move it. Once it was aside the hot spring water flowed forth again, filling the cavern with a welcome heat. Now there were at least a few Gorons I could help, even if they would mistake me for Darmani.


	24. When a Goron

Given my trouble with the unnatural ice that had started to form around the Snowhead area, before I left the grave of Darmani I filled two of my three bottles with the steaming hot spring water – which as the Goron I remained in the form of, didn't bother me in the slightest – and put a flame into the third bottle which would, I hoped, keep the two bottles of water warm.

Heat was definitely not going to be a problem for me like this, that I quickly figured out. I knew the spring water was hot, I could feel it, but where it would have been scalding in another form, a Goron could just ignore it.

Cold was going to be a similar story, though the frozen Goron outside suggested there were limits. The bigger limit I had to worry about was the water. Gorons are heavy creatures, and unless I got the mask off quickly I'd be in trouble.

Then, once I'd finished amusing myself in my new form and learning what I could and couldn't do, I gave the unfrozen Goron outside the shock of his life.

"Darmani!" he exclaimed. "You're- you're-"

"I'm what?" I asked pleasantly. "Is there something on my face?"

"You're alive!" he blurted. "We just buried you yesterday!"

"I got better," I replied, dusting some snow off the frozen Goron, then pouring out some of the water over it. The ice melted quickly in a hiss of steam, leaving another shivering Goron to repeat the reaction of the first. "You'll want to go inside," I told them when he'd finished. "I uncovered a hot spring there, so you'll be able to keep warm. Now, I don't suppose you've seen the Elder have you?"

"In this cold?" one of them asked. "He'd have to be out of his mind to travel in this! We'd have gone back to the colony by now, but the snow blocked up the tunnel we used to get up here."

"I guess it was a long shot," I conceded. It meant I'd have to search the route between the village and the colony, but only after I'd visited the colony. Maybe I could learn something useful there.

"Wait, Darmani!" the other Goron protested when I moved to leave. "How are you going to get down from here? It's all water down there, it's not safe!"

I hesitated. I still wasn't comfortable letting others see me change, and it might upset them if they thought I wasn't Darmani.

"Did you forget, Darmani?" Tael asked. "I gave you some magic while you were dead, because you were going to need it to save Snowhead."

The Goron who hadn't been frozen frowned slightly, perhaps recognising Tael. He hadn't paid much attention to me going in before, being more concerned with keeping warm, but perhaps now something was nagging at him.

"Magic?" the other one asked sceptically. "Whoever heard of a Goron doing magic?"

"Maybe I'm just the first," I shrugged, already testing my mind. I hadn't noticed any difference so far, but I also hadn't done much so far – and I was heavier as a Goron too. In spite of that I had enough mental strength to lift myself up to the surprise of the two Gorons and made my way through the air back down to the snowy village below.

Where I stopped and took a few moments to recover. Holding something that's essentially a huge chunk of rock in the air isn't easy. Keeping hold of it was it moves is harder, and when the rock in question is yourself in the form of a great Goron hero, it starts to get really troublesome.

"Thought you might need a nudge there," Tael said. "Why didn't you do it straight off?"

"I wasn't sure if it'd work," I replied. "Mikau and Darmani both have a bit of magic each, but they don't have a mind like mine. Even then it was tough to do this. I think I'm going to make a second Temple run today. We'll go up to the colony and see if we can find out where the Elder would have gone, see if we can help the Goron child we saw, then head up to Snowhead Temple."

"I think we'll want to learn what we need to do to get to the Temple first, then go back to the first day so we've got the most time. Unless we learn something along the way, of course."

"You really think the Temple is going to be that big I can't handle it without running out of time?" I asked.

"Just taking precautions. What's the point of being able to travel time if you don't use it to your advantage?"

He had a point there. It meant I had as long as I needed to try and help the various Gorons before I started on the Temple, and got me plenty of time to attack the Temple itself, at least.

With that planned out I put to use the newly learned Goron skills, curling up and rolling away down the path back to the Goron Colony. It was, I had to admit, a much quicker way to get around. Only Farore's Wind would be quicker, but it'd leave me at a disadvantage to anything that was waiting for me.

The magically created spikes only helped matters, as on the snow and ice they dug in to give me greater grip and also served as both an offensive and defensive weapon. A white Wolfos that appeared as I was passing through was defeated almost before he'd realised there was a Goron bearing down on him, and I hadn't even needed to change course.

The giant snowballs that dotted all of this snowy northern area also smashed easily when I rolled into them only slowing me slightly. It was, all in all, a rather fun experience, so I was rather disappointed to find I'd arrived already.

Entering the colony was simple now, as the required ground-pound was something I could do myself – simply curl up again and jump up like that, the resulting slam on the ground causing a slight shock. Another useful thing to use against enemies, perhaps.

Almost before I was fully through the already closing door I winced at a particularly high-pitched cry. Someone, perhaps by the sound of it the Goron child I'd seen in the Notebook, was crying – so loudly that, according to one Goron, he had blown out all the torches.

Since I still looked like Darmani I got a lot of surprised looks, and more than once I had to repeat my explanation for not being dead as simply having got better. It wasn't really a satisfactory answer, but I got the impression the Gorons accepted it just because they were grateful to have me back.

The Goron Colony was in some ways reminiscent of Goron City in Hyrule. It was arranged in teirs and showed signs of having been carved or possibly eaten out of the rock itself. It was much more open however, with a single route winding around the outside to go further up, and rather than entering at the top and working down to see Darunia as I had in Hyrule, here one entered at the bottom and worked upward.

The crying Goron voice got steadily louder as I made my way up to the point that I was seriously considering following the examples of the other Gorons and covering my ears. Tael was already muttering to himself about it, saying something about even some of the earlier music Mikau had once played was better than this.

Following a worn and slightly icy red carpet at the top led me to a richly furnished chamber where two Gorons stood guard, their hands over their ears, and ahead of them, looking far too small for the giant seat, a Goron child screaming his lungs out.

When he paused to take a breath he hiccuped, noticing me. There were two sighs of relief behind me as he perked up. "Darmi!" he exclaimed. "But everyone said you'd gone away!"

"How could I when I knew I was needed here?"

"But you said you were going to the Temple... then dad said he had to go find you and now it's cold and-"

"Hey, hush there," I said gently. I've never had a very good touch with children, I'll admit. But I had to try. "Don't worry. I'll find him and make sure he's safe. I just had to come back and get something before I could finish up at the Temple."

"But it's late, and I can't sleep Darmi," he protested anyway. "Dad always plays a lullaby on his drum for me. Didn't he teach you it once?"

Oops. I quickly rifled through the memories Darmani had left me, but either he'd forgotten the lullaby or it had never been taught to him.

"He used to play it for me, long ago," I covered quickly. "But I'll track him down, make sure he's safe and have him jog my memory, then I'll be right back and if I can't see to it that he gets to play it for you himself, I'll fill in for him until he gets back."

"But when will that be? It could be ages yet, and with all the snow outside... what if something happened to him, Darmi?"

"Relax. I'll see to it nothing happens, alright? Just trust me like you always do, and... maybe try not to cry?"

"Oh. I guess I put the torches out again, didn't I?" he said a little guiltily. "And we don't have anything to light them with either..."

"Leave it to me. I'll be back before you know it."

That at least persuaded him to stop crying, much to the relief of the Gorons. I added to the word about my miraculous return from the dead and the magic I'd been given by concealing Din's Fire in one hand and re-lighting all the torches, making things start to warm up. One of the Gorons gave me a piece of Dodongo's Cavern finest rock sirloin in thanks – that I kept with me as I could give it to the hungry Goron back in the mountain village.

Though I liked the ability to roll about with relative immunity to most things around, I did use Farore's Wind to get the heavy rock sirloin to the hungry Goron quicker, thus allowing me to go in search of the Goron Elder sooner. That Goron gave me the Don Gero's mask in return, heading off to the colony once he'd restored his strength.

Now all I had to do was find the Elder. He couldn't have gone too far, so I focused my search on the route between village and colony, searching carefully with my mind and – partly for fun and partly to see if the old Goron was inside – smashing up the giant snowballs. While Mikau could really throw a punch that'd hurt, a Goron punch could shatter rocks and snowballs as easily as you'd tear through paper.

And sure enough, underneath one of them on the frozen lake's surface, I found the Elder, frozen inside one of them. He didn't just look old, he looked ancient – not that I was going to tell him that. My remaining bottle of hot spring water was used to defrost him, after which he looked about in surprise.

"What? What happened... oh, Darmani! I heard you had perished in your attempt to reach the Temple."

"I know. I just had to come back for something, that's all. You ought to get back to the colony you know. Your son misses you, and he can't sleep without the lullaby."

"Oh, I should not have left... it will take me far too long to go back there now. But perhaps... you recall the lullaby, do you not?"

"It's been a long time since you played it for me, Elder," I told him, again covering for the lapse in memories. "I don't remember it too clearly."

From somewhere I couldn't tell, the Elder took out a small drum.

"I'll play it again for you, then perhaps you can play it for him. Tide him over until I can get back. You still have your drums?"

I took another chance, taking out the Ocarina of Time – and yes, thankfully it turned into a set of five drums, hanging from a pair of straps over my shoulders.

The elder nodded, then managed somehow – I really don't know how, and I'm not sure I want to either – to get three notes out of that small drum – then he paused.

"What's wrong?"

"Let me try again," he said after a moment, worry in his voice. Again he played the three notes, followed by the same three notes, then stopped and sighed. "It's no use! This cold isn't making things easy... I can't recall the rest. Ah... what's to be done now, Darmani?"

"He's recognise it if I started off, wouldn't he?"

"Of course."

"Then why don't I play what you've reminded me of so far, and he can fill the rest in himself?"

"Well... perhaps..."

"If it doesn't work I'll come back. But first before I go anywhere lets get you safely on to to solid ground, in case any of this ice melts. I couldn't let anything happen to you now, could I?"

"Ever the thoughtful one," the Elder murmured gratefully. It was nice at least to see I was upholding Darmani's reputation.


	25. Gorons in the Snow

Once I'd ensured the relative safety of the Goron Elder, I returned to the Colony and made my way back up to his son, who was blessedly not crying again. I knew that not just because of the lack of sound but because the torches were all still lit this time too.

I got around the slight issue of having only part of the Goron Lullaby by asking him to sing along, playing the missing notes as best I could on the drums as I kept up with him. By the time I'd played the entire song and memorized the remaining notes, it was all I could do not to yawn and follow the example of all Gorons in the room, the young one included. They had all curled up and gone to sleep. Some even snored, something that sounded like two rocks being ground against each other.

Tael however was unimpressed and unaffected. I had probably been spared most of the effects because I was the one playing the song, but it seemed clear enough – the Goron Lullaby was aptly named.

Although he couldn't have enjoyed the local weather, I notice a Business Scrub on the way out of the Colony – I'd missed him before because he'd been hidden in the flower each time I passed, and it was only now I'd caught him. For a small fee of a whole two-hundred rupees, he exchanged my bomb bag for one that held forty bombs and was allegedly the biggest available in all Termina. For the price he charged and the fact that he revealed he'd only sell to Gorons (who had little use for it anyway) it had better be hard to get otherwise.

I passed the Goron Elder still making his way steadily back to the Colony as I left, pausing to remind him of the last few notes he'd forgotten before I continued on, curling up and rolling all the way back to the mountain village, then from there taking the northern route.

I had planned to just roll on up that way and continue up to the Snowhead Temple itself, but the local monster life had other ideas. As I started down the first part of the route something small and cold got past the spiked body I had, chilling me to the core and forcing me to stop.

Once I'd finally recovered from that I cast about and spotted the culprit – a chittering Ice Keese, an old enemy that I'd always thought had best been dealt with by Scourge in Hyrule. Shame that since Ganondorf's defeat it wouldn't work anymore.

As a Goron I had no defence against these things. They could, as I'd just learned, get right through the spikes if they flew right, and there were at least half a dozen more of them flitting about the area.

Moving targets were not something I'd ever been good at hitting even with a normal bow, though at least then I had the benefit of my mind. I considered this as I changed back to my own form, again rather reluctantly – some of these forms were almost more fun than my own – then reached into the pouch, not thinking of anything in particular, just trying to think of a solution.

I've already noticed many times before that this strange pouch not only has apparently infinite space on the inside and negates the weight of everything within, but also seems to have some kind of telepathic power, able to sense what I want and provide that so I didn't have to hunt around for it. If I reached in and wanted Biggoron's Sword, then the hilt of the great blade was closest to the opening, if I wanted bombs, the bomb bag showed up.

So it was with some puzzlement that instead of the crossbow as you'd expect, it instead gave me the strange beetle I'd bought back on the first set of three days when I'd made my little business on the Deku Flower.

It was a strange little thing, a bit larger than my own hand. The guy selling it had said it was some kind of ancient technology that no one could figure out how to use, and had sold it to me for just a hundred rupees, enough to recoup the losses he'd made in buying it. I wasn't too concerned about the cost myself, as always Heroing pays for itself.

The beetle itself was green with two golden wings and two similar pincers on the front. Decorative eyes had been added to it in the same gold as the wings and pincers. Beyond the appearance it appeared to have no visible means of propulsion besides the wings and no indication of how it worked.

* * *

Knuckles interrupted the account with one hand, poking about in a red pouch that looked similar to Silver's own one, then producing something that looked similar to Silver's description. Silver took out his own, and it was immediately apparent that they were different.

Knuckles' Beetle was orange instead of green and where Silver's was gold, his was white. The pincers on the front were much larger too, lined with teeth that had been clearly designed to hold something.

"I thought so," Knuckles nodded. "You've got the older model, the one I first started with. They were made in Lanayru region long ago – long before even I was there, before it became a desert. No one's quite sure how or why they work, although I suspect Skyloft's Gondo had to have some idea when he upgraded it for me."

"That's a relief," Silver said. "I was worried for a moment this was the same one as yours and we were risking a paradox."

"Nah, you're safe. I understand there's several Beetles like yours still around. Didn't think they'd last long enough for any of you guys to find one though."

Silver looked as if he was going to continue to tell his story for a moment, then sighed and to Manic said, "Give it back."

"Give what back?" Manic asked innocently.

"The Goron Mask. It still has Darmani's spirit in, and I've long since figured out how to sense that. I know you've got it."

"It wasn't his idea," Sonic told him. "I wanted to see if it would work on me, so I had him steal it."

"Would it work?" Tails asked.

"I have no idea in the slightest," Silver replied. "No one's ever used the transformation masks except me. You might as well go ahead and try it Sonic. If nothing else to settle this question."

Sonic pulled it awkwardly over his own head, settling it in place. They watched for a few moments, but nothing appeared to happen.

"Well that's disappointing," he grumbled afterwards, handing it back to Silver. "Sure it works?"

Silver wordlessly replaced the Zora mask he'd been wearing with it, changing from Mikau to Darmani. "Yep," he said afterwards in the Goron Hero's voice. "Maybe it only works for me."

"Or Heroes," Manic added. "That's why I stole this one too," he went on, holding up the Deku mask. He tried it on, only to find it too didn't work.

"That makes me feel better," Sonic said. "I'd hate to think it was just because I'm not part of your exclusive club."

"If you children have finished playing, how about getting on with things?" Scourge said. "I'm not getting any younger here you know."

There were several hard looks directed at him before Silver took up the account once more.

* * *

I had no idea why the pouch had given me the Beetle, or how it worked. It didn't have any mind of its own that I could sense, so it looked purely decorative to me.

Experimentally I threw it, making sure I had enough space ahead of me so it wouldn't fall down any of the chasms around. I needn't have worried however as throwing it seemed to activate it, sending it buzzing into life, flying along. What was more interesting was that it somehow reacted to my thoughts – I thought of it turning one way and it complied.

This started to explain why the pouch had selected it as a better solution. I piloted it toward an Ice Keese where the two collided with a flash. The Keese fell from the air, disappearing into the chasm below while the Beetle vanished in the flash – and reappeared in my hand. Definitely more useful than it first appeared, and after I restored the Goron Mask it became clear I could use this in any form.

Well, maybe not Deku form – it'd need both hands to hold it then. But it was still a valuable addition now I knew what it was capable of. I used it to dispatch the nearer Ice Keese, in the process finding it did have a finite range to it. If I wanted to get the rest of them I was going to have to use an apparently purpose-made ramp, rolling up it to make a jump over to the next part of the route. It looked like there would be just enough room for me to pause, finish off the Ice Keese, then get up enough speed to make the next jump on the next ramp.

Once I'd finished playing with the Beetle and the Keese I moved on, going further up the rapidly chilling route up to Snowhead. I stopped again as I entered the area, stood in the middle of a howling blizzard that left the Temple and the peak it sat on as a faint outline. I knew it was there because, well, Tingle's map had it on. But with this blizzard I could barely see what was ahead of me, much less the way to go. Darmani had tried to get there in _this?_

No, his memories told me, he hadn't. It hadn't been as bad at the time he tried. He could still see the route, which was helpful – I had some idea where I was going at least. But it didn't tell me what had blown him off the narrow route, or what the enormous looming shape was that looked nothing like Snowhead should.

Considering that I'd just recently picked up the Lens of Truth and had only found one use for it so far – tracking Darmani's restless spirit – I gave it a try, peering through the blizzard toward the faint outline. There was definitely _something_ there, but I couldn't make out what.

Due to the sheer cold and the volume of the weather, Tael and I took shelter in a niche between some snow dunes to get out of the worst of it while I tried to consider what I could do. I reached out with my mind to see what I could find, catching the faint sense of monster life, a very slight touch of a distinctly hostile and malevolent mind that was neither monster nor any other kind of mind I'd touched on before, then the sense of a Goron mind.

…a Goron mind here? It suggested the Goron Lullaby of course, but my curiosity was piqued. I quickly scanned the area to the full extent of my reach, finding that aside from two humans over in the mountain village and a lot of monster life, this Goron was the only sentient mind around – I discounted the malevolent one because it had the slight touch of a sleeper.

Then, with great reluctance after the last experience with it, I took out the Mask of Truth. While Tael was sheltering behind my massive Goron body to keep out of the weather even more, he still clearly had his own concerns about this.

This time I was more ready for the sudden torrent of thoughts. It was a small mercy that there were only four sentient minds in reach, the malevolent one, the Goron and the two humans. It was still tough to separate all the thoughts, but by directing my mind, trying to block out everything but the area I wanted to listen to, I was able to narrow it down to just the two minds toward the Temple.

The malevolent mind gave off few thoughts, those that I did hear in a harsh, guttural tongue that I didn't understand. The most frequent words in there were 'Majora' and 'Goht' but without knowing what else was being thought, it was impossible to tell what it was on about.

The Goron's mind was much more coherent. I had to search through all the various kinds of thoughts it was having, thinking about the cold, a feeling of slight hunger and a number of other more basic thoughts, then I caught a flash of more immediate thoughts.

_"...can't leave,"_ it thought. _"Why though? What did it want me to stay here for? It could have just asked, why curse me? And now I've gone and caused Darmani to fall... I hope no one finds out I've been forced to cause this."_

I tuned out, removing the mask. It hadn't confirmed what I suspected, that this was either Biggoron himself or a relative, but it explained a lot. Skull Kid, under the influence of the Majora's Mask, had cursed him and forced him to stay here. If he was the cause of Darmani's fall, it seemed likely that this blizzard was in some way also caused by the massive Goron.

I knew what I had to do. Despite the sound of the blizzard making it hard for other sounds to travel far, I took out the drums and once again played the Goron Lullaby. The blizzard lessened slightly.

Through the Lens of Truth I looked up at the massive shape, which became clear enough to see the great Goron starting to doze off. He tried to stave it off for a time, but eventually gave a massive yawn, curled up and, because the small bit of land he was on wasn't big enough to support him curled up that way, fell down into the chasm himself. The blizzard faded with him, leaving the route to Snowhead clear.


	26. The Demon Lord

As it was almost dawn I decided out of prudence to start over before I started on the Temple, noting in passing that it didn't appear to be the local Guardian that added the Goron Colony to the Deku Palace and Clock Town. Being able to start from there made things much quicker, allowing me to re-surprise everyone with Darmani's miraculous recovery, defrost various Gorons, put the Goron Elder's son to sleep and make sure the Elder himself was safe.

Biggoron was back in place because of this of course, but a repeat performance of the Goron Lullaby sent him back down into the chasm below. I checked on him to make sure he'd be fine when he woke up, then started up to the Temple.

The route was narrow and snow-covered, and now that Biggoron was out of the way large chunks of snow that had built up behind him started to roll down, each one big enough to easily engulf even Darmani.

As a Goron though, all I needed was to get up enough speed to cause the spikes to appear. As long as I remained on course and didn't end up heading down to join Biggoron, I'd be able to just smash through them without incident.

Once I'd managed to get up the slope at the far end there was a wide snow-covered plateau with the local Great Fairy's cavern in, and also a similarly narrow path that wound up around the peak to the Temple proper. At least if I fell there, I'd be able to carry on back up again.

I had to draw heavily on the borrowed skill Darmani had left me to make it. He was more experienced at this naturally, I was still learning. Getting around by rolling about was one thing, doing it while there's no room for error isn't quite so easy.

A pack of white Wolfos showed up as I got on to the plateau but for a streaking Goron these were less off a problem and more of a source of amusement as they loped after me. They're rather thick creatures, more concerned with trying to catch me than each other. Several of them got shoved off the narrow route by their friends as each one tried to bull past the others.

At the top was of course a second cavern, serving as the initial entrance to the Snowhead Temple. Pillars of ice curved up on either side like the fingers of some icy titan, and behind them were clouds of white with orange eyes – white Boes. One of the Wolfos managed to catch up with me only to find me just about to do another ground-pound, shattering the ice fingers, the shock destroying most of the Boes and even managing to catch the unlucky Wolfos. A second one left me on my own again but for Tael.

This also shattered some smaller ice pillars that, if the others had been fingers, were more like thumbs. Except there were a few too many of them. Behind them was a massive stone block with, peculiarly enough, an engraved Majora's Mask on it. It didn't appear to be magical or cursed or anything, so as any good Hero would, I gave it a good shove forward through the gap it was otherwise filling.

It dropped down into a hole in the floor that obviously I hadn't been able to see before, opening the way into a small room which had three doors, the northern one opposite me being frozen. I didn't have a chance to check the other two doors because another white Wolfos caught up with me.

This one I dispatched with a powerful punch, a touch of magic happening on its own to engulf my fist in a brief flare of fire. Normally if you attack a Wolfos from the front it'll block, but a Goron Punch gave it no room to do that, cutting right through and sending it flying up against a wall where it vanished in defeat.

With it out the way I checked the other two doors. To the west was a locked door, and since the ice was still stubbornly trying to ignore Din's Fire leaving only a few drops of water to drip off it, this left me to pick the east door instead.

This room was both deeper and longer. At the bottom was what could have been a shallow pit of lava, which also had a pillar in it, in turn holding a Stray Fairy in a bubble. I shot at that with the crossbow only to have the bolt hit something unseen before it caught the bubble. The Lens of Truth showed this was because there was an invisible wall facing me on this side, so I left that for the moment.

I was up on a ledge with a wooden rope bridge leading to a similar ledge on the far side, and it was that far ledge that connected to two smaller ones on either side. One had a block of ice on, but both had enemies I'd seen previously only in the Ice Cavern – Freezards. Their icy breath was visible, always crossing the bridge.

Since I'd returned to my own form to shoot the crossbow I floated down and over the lava instead of seeing if I could just walk through it as a Goron. This revealed that under a narrow ledge in the north wall was another Stray Fairy, and the one I'd seen before was no longer behind an invisible wall. Both of them were shot to release them from their bubbles, then the Great Fairy's Mask persuaded them I was safe and brought me the first two Stray Fairies.

Again rather than change back I stayed as I was, ignoring both the bridge and the Freezards by floating up the north end of the room instead.

"Y'know Silver, I can't help but think you're disappointing those Freezards," Tael remarked with a distinct lack of sincerity. "They went to all that trouble to go stand there and try to freeze anyone who wanted to go across the bridge, and you've just made it all worthless.

"Isn't that a shame?" I replied. "I'd destroy them to put them out of their misery, but I don't think it'll really accomplish much right now."

"Stairs or door then?" he asked.

"Stairs first, I think," I answered after a moment, continuing to float up them. It tends to make thing easier, and also means I avoid any traps in the floor. Not that I've encountered many, but one is usually enough to make you wary.

At the top of the stairs I almost collided with a free Stray Fairy, attracted to me by the mask I still wore, then I quickly got up a ways to avoid a Real Bombchu that exploded below. Spikes formed a ring on the walls here, the room otherwise consisting simply of two platforms at different heights.

In one corner of the room was the first gold-bound large chest, containing the map of the dungeon.

"You know, I wonder who makes these," I mused. "There's one for every Dungeon, Temple and other important place I've been to, and they're never faded at all. They look as if they were made not too long ago."

"Maybe it's just magic? Or maybe there's a Goddess of Maps that's decided to help you by creating these?"

"A Goddess of Maps? Seriously?"

"Hey, don't ask me. I'm only here because you keep insisting you need me around."

With the map helpfully telling me this place stretched up quite a ways and that, should I be careless enough to fall, I could go right from the top all the way to the bottom, which would be inconvenient, I continued on.

The skull symbol for the boss was naturally right at the peak of this place. Though without the mask I couldn't hear its thoughts any more, I still kept a mental eye on its presence. It had stirred very slightly since I'd entered, but hadn't moved or reacted in any other way.

Back downstairs I took the door I'd gone past before, taking me to what was undoubtedly the centre of the Temple. Stone, wood, snow and ice were all prevalent, creating a kind of central structure with routes radiating from it on various levels with more doors and options than you can shake a stick at. And it's a big stick I'm talking about.

"Starting to think you might be on to something with your not wanting to skip ahead," Tael observed, staring upward, then at the map I held. "This room alone sorta suggests maybe you should temporarily forget how to skip things unless you think you need to."

"You mean do things a more mundane way," I corrected. "And there you were back in Clock Town telling me I should use my mind more."

"Yeah, whatever. I'm not trying to suggest you shouldn't use your psycho-whatever-it-is thing, I'm just agreeing with you when it comes to doing it the right way. If there is such a thing. But where're you gonna start?"

"There," I replied, picking a door at random. The one opposite where I'd come in pretty much. Given how many doors and stairs there were here, it was as good a choice as any other.

This room was separated into two levels, an upper one that I, in any form I cared to pick, could not reach without the benefit of my mind, and the lower one which seemed completely unremarkable. Part of the stone floor had been chipped away to reveal snow, and dusting that aside revealed a floor switch at one end of the room that, as they so often do, refused to stay switched. In an alcove near the door was a pair of stone blocks on top of each other that I used the Goron form to heave out and then shove on to them, causing a chest to appear on the upper level. It was tempting to go for it, but as Tael had mentioned, it made sense in a place this big to only do that if I had to.

Behind where I'd pulled the blocks from was a tiny area that had a small-gold bound chest. I figured out there that these chests were always small keys, where the more common iron-bound ones were for other stuff – up to and including Stray Fairies.

Consulting the map told me there was an alternative way back to the locked door I'd seen before, but it meant defrosting a door. Since I already knew Din's Fire to be ineffective I tried the only other thing I could – shooting a bolt through a helpfully placed torch. Which for some reason melted the ice in no time where the spell had barely had any effect at all. Magic works in strange ways.

This ice was actually the same ice that was on the other side of the door, in the room where the second Wolfos had caught up with me. It was a direct route that let me out only to find that yet another stupid Wolfos had found its way up. In a fit of irritation I waved one hand absently as I lashed out with my mind, sending it flying out of the Temple entrance in moments.

"You really don't like Wolfos, do you?" Tael asked.

"It's not Wolfos in particular," I told him. "More that I hate it when enemies come back after I've got rid of them. Even if that wasn't the same one I dealt with before."

"That's gonna irritate you a lot, you know," he said while I unlocked the door. "Every time you play the Song of Time-"

"Yeah, I know, I'm trying not to think about that. By what Odolwa told us, it means I'll even have to fight the bosses again, and I'm not particularly looking forward to that."

"Well, you shouldn't have to do it unless you actually need to, right?"

"Believe me, sometimes things don't work out sensible ways when you're hanging around a Hero."

This door took me through into a room very much like the one I'd got the key from, but on a larger scale, with a second big chest, and a couple more Wolfos hiding behind some of the chunks of ice in the room. I sent a brief flame from Din's fire to catch the two Wolfos so I wouldn't have to worry about them, then moved to check the chest. As I neared I sensed something sense me back and paused.

"What is it?" Tael asked.

"There's something in there – something that knows how to find minds like I do." I gnawed on my lip in thought for a moment, then touched on it again, taking care to protect myself.

The presence had a familiar feel to it, very similar to Goht but at the same time different. I took out Odolwa's remains and checked the lasting presence of the demon within it and found the same feel again.

"Demon," I murmured. "The boss is one, and whatever is in there is as well."

The unidentified demon reached back out to me again. Unlike it though, I held it off and prevented it from getting to anything unless I let it. It pushed against that for a time, trying to find a way in then I felt it's mind move. It sensed the mask of Odolwa and the presence within, causing Odolwa to mutter something in the same harsh language as the boss demon had been thinking in.

I didn't like this. Demons are bad news as it is, and the reaction of these two demons to each other did not bode well. Knowing that the boss was another demon, and that the remaining two Temples likely continued this trend really bothered me – particularly if they held the same ability as this unidentified one to sense minds.

Once I stowed Odolwa's mask back in the pouch, putting it beyond the reach of the demon in the chest, I warily opened the chest, flipping open the lid with the tip of my sword rather than doing it myself. Nothing happened.

Tael cautiously flew overhead, and I kept my hand on Nayru's Love in case I had to create a barrier to protect him from something that came out.

"There's another paper compass, Silver," he reported. "And what looks like the old remains of a sword. Looks like the handle and bit of the cross bit. Only a small bit of blade. Doesn't look too dangerous to me."

I didn't trust it though. I retrieved the compass and added it to the map, like the Woodfall Temple allowing me to see where I was and also where all the chests were on the map, then I looked at the sword piece.

The whole thing was black, a handle with a leather grip that was only noticeable because it was a different shade. It was clearly made for someone with a far bigger hand than mine, or perhaps was meant to be wielded two handed. Above the handle was a large ornate cross-guard, like three fingers reaching out and up toward where the blade should have been. All that was present of the blade was a small piece into which a red stone was set.

Knowing that it shared my ability to sense minds, I took out an old friend from Hyrule's future, the Silver Gauntlets. The silver in them had offered me a boost to my physical strength while inhibiting my mind as all silver did, something I explained to Tael.

While they didn't fit me in my own form or as a Hylian, they fit Mikau's hands much better. With them worn and still with caution I picked out the sword piece. It felt as if it was writhing under the touch of silver, giving rise to the theory that perhaps all demons held a weakness of some kind to the metal, or perhaps it was just the effect on its mind.

"I know you can hear me," I said to it. "And I know you can talk in some way, like Odolwa did to me." This time there was a low and faint hiss from the blade, a sound that seemed to arrive in my mind without going through the ears. "I know you're a demon too," I went on. "So you tell me who _you_ are and what you're doing here."

_"Let me go,"_ the voice pleaded. _"The touch of silver-"_

"I know," I cut it off. "That's why I picked it. Answer me."

_"I was left here. A piece of a whole blade. Parts of me were scattered. I was a demon in the form of my master's sword, but I cannot recall his name – not without being reunited with the rest of my shattered body."_

"You didn't answer him," Tael said, hovering nearby. "Who are you?"

_"I answer only to the Hero."_

"The fairy is with me, and if you want any hope of me possibly helping you – though why I'd want to is beyond me – you'll answer him as you seem to suggest you would me. Who are you?"

_"I am the demon lord Ghirahim,"_ it answered.


	27. Demon Aid

"What? Are you telling me that psychopathic demon actually survived?" Knuckled exclaimed.

"You _knew_ him?" Silver asked.

"Knew him? Ghirahim and I crossed paths way too many times, and he tried to beat me to within and inch of my life every time – if not himself then by calling some big monster I had to get rid of. Then it only turned out he was the sword of Demise, who's worse than all your evil masterminds by far, and he managed to revive Demise, and then when I finally beat the two demons the sword shattered into far too many pieces for him to survive it!"

"Have you finished?" Tails asked mildly after a few moments. Even Scourge had backed away from the sudden raging outburst. "Mind explaining why you think this Demise is worse than all the others."

Knuckles took a deep breath, then answered, "Simple. Did any of you need the whole Triforce to beat Ganondorf or Majora, or whoever it was you faced?"

"Vaati," Manic supplied.

"You mean... the whole thing right?" Silver asked. "Not just the Triforce of Courage."

"No, I really mean the entire thing. I held it all. It was only because of it I was able to defeat Demise. And that sword of his, Ghirahim in the form of a sword, it shattered. There's no way he could have survived that."

"Obviously, he found a way then," Tails replied. "And assembled at least enough pieces for Silver to find a piece of him."

"What happened to him, Silver?" Knuckles demanded. "If that creep is back I've got to know if I've got to do something about him."

"Can't you wait?" Silver said plaintively. "I'll be spoiling my own story." Knuckles glared at him until he gave in. "Alright," Silver sighed. "I don't know how the pieces were put back together or how they got to Termina but in the course of saving them I found two other parts to complete the blade, then Majora stole it from me. I assume it got destroyed again with Majora, as I haven't seen it since."

"That's not much to go on."

"Then listen to the story like everyone else. If he's back then he's back, and a bit longer won't hurt that much. Anyway, I'll notice him coming far sooner than any of you will, so why don't you calm down and let me finish telling my story, then you can tell us all about yours."

"If it's all the same to you, I'd like to hold off on that," Knuckles said. "I want to take you up on an offer to get me back to Hyrule so I can poke about and see what I can find out about Ghirahim's survival. Manic can tell you what he got up to, I don't mind missing out on that."

"Oh, thanks," Manic muttered. "Anyone'd think it didn't matter."

* * *

I didn't trust this demon in the form of a sword, but as he was he had no use to him at all. The sword-stump was too short to be effective at anything except for beating stuff over the head with. Since I knew what Odolwa's likely reaction to Ghirahim would be if I stowed it in the pouch, instead I changed back from Mikau's form, which left me holding him in some very loose Silver Gauntlets, then took a chance and tucked it under my belt. I'd have to find some other way of handling it if I needed to be anything other than myself or human, but that was something I could figure out later.

Ghirahim stopped grumbling about the touch of silver after that at least, keeping silent since he probably knew that if he wanted me to reassemble him he needed my cooperation, and I was still in two minds about that.

Now the distraction of the demon sword was over I cast about the room again and found a suspiciously cracked wall, which when bombed revealed a set of stairs leading upward and into a room that had a series of rising rock stumps in, almost all of them with ice on and above them more pieces of ice hanging from the roof, just like the one that had blocked my way out on Termina Field. Shooting each of them down shattered both the hanging ice and the ice below them

"Hey, Silver," Tael said part way round. "Isn't this kinda suspicious looking?"

I glanced over, avoiding a small icicle that had tried to fall on me to see what he was on about. There was some snow lying in the cracks of rocks in the wall that cut off in a neat line. I turned the Lens of Truth on it to reveal a hidden area with a chest in, which instead of going to I brought to me instead, fetching me the next Stray Fairy.

"Nicely spotted, Tael."

_"A child could have spotted that,"_ Ghirahim remarked.

"Oh, shut up," I told him. "Or at least make yourself useful somehow."

_"Then go do something about that giant boulder of snow on the other side of the room, or you'll never find a key to open the next door with."_

Rather than punch it as a Goron I instead threw a bomb at it, boosting my throw with my mind as I often did. It rolled on to the ledge beside the snow boulder, detonating to throw snow everywhere and uncover a slightly battered gold-bound chest. I didn't even need to open it to know this meant a small key this time, which then got used in the locked door leading out again.

_"No thanks for me, I see."_

"I'd have figured it eventually. With the compass you were sharing a chest with I can see where the chests are. I'd have found it soon enough."

_"And likely that hidden area too."_

"So what? Tael's been travelling with me for longer, he's my friend. You're a demon I'm not even sure I should be helping, let alone trust."

Ghirahim shut up again.

The next room was similar in size, but different in layout. Like several previous rooms it was arranged on two levels, one lower snowy one that had a few more white Boes on and was reached by a shallow slope and an upper one. Across both were large switches, reminiscent of the ones I'd once seen in Hyrule's Fire Temple, only this time I didn't have the Megaton Hammer to force them down. Once the Boes had been dispatched I soon found out that my own weight wasn't going to cut it at all.

"You hair is glowing," Tael told me. "Stray Fairy somewhere."

_"Look at the ceiling through that lens of yours,"_ Ghirahim suggested.

"Why're you helping him?" Tael asked him while I looked. Part of the ceiling was revealed to be an illusion, the reality being an inverted cone taken out of the rock that concealed the Stray Fairy in a bubble.

_"You think I can help myself?"_ Ghirahim demanded. _"I cannot take on a form like his or any other without the rest of my shattered body. I need someone to do that, and if I'm going to persuade him to do that, I have to do something in return. Something for something. I point out these things, he reassembles me."_

"And tells you to shut up while I figure out these switches," I added.

"You might be able to pound them down in your Goron form," Tael said. "You certainly look heavy enough in that form."

"Believe me, I am. Gorons aren't light creatures. I found that out when I decided to try flying. But I'm wondering if it's worth it since the door isn't locked or anything."

"Map?"

I checked, only to find there was nothing else in this room I hadn't already found. "Nothing. But I'm going to kick myself if I find out I have to do this."

Since in neither Zora or Goron form I had no easy place to stow Ghirahim's sword I left him on the far side of the room beside the door to wait, while I then resumed Goron form and used another ground-pound to switch the yellow-topped switch. This caused a similar one in the snowy floor to rise up, creating – for the mundane, anyway – a route to where I'd left him, but also raising one in front of the door.

On that other side there was a green switch, and when that one was pounded down it caused a similar green one in the floor below, too far from where I'd started to cross, but close enough and low enough that I could climb up and use it to get back where I was right now, if only I stopped being a Goron.

I used another ground-pound on the yellow switch that had provided the route over, which forced the one by the door back down, then changed back and used the green one to get back up.

_"Should have just skipped it,"_ Ghirahim observed dryly.

"No harm in being sure," I told him, retrieving him. "Besides, it's not as if we're on a schedule. If I need more time it can be arranged."

Taking the door took us back into the central room, but one floor up.

_"Take the left door first. I think."_

"You think?" Tael asked suspiciously.

_"I'm missing a lot of memories, fairy. I have some vague memories of this place and some slight power to sense things as your pet Hero-"_

"Pet Hero?" I objected.

_"-noticed. Got a problem with that?"_

"You just watch your tongue, or I'll find a nice pit of lava for you to take a bath in," I threatened.

The door behind me barred itself as I took the door the demon suggested, a mostly blue-tiled room except for the corners, which were green with glowing blue plates on them. I could already sense something there, so reached for my sword.

_"Bow,"_ Ghirahim told me. _"You won't get close otherwise."_

Something flowed up out of the blue plate becoming some goblin like creature holding a staff with a blue flame on the end.

"Wizrobe!" Tael identified it. "For once the demon and I agree on something, it'll disappear if you get close."

The pouch provided it complete with the mechanism attached, which I quickly loaded up while the Wizrobe vanished again. I'd sensed it though and kept my mind on it, moving to the middle of the room and keeping the crossbow trained on where my mind told me he was.

After one shot I learned to wait until he was solid enough to hit, and after three that had hit him he grew frustrated and blurred between the four blue plates, then added three illusions of him. The surprised squawk when I shot the real thing again was followed by a howl of frustration.

I fired the fifth bolt, then rather than reload I switched to my sword and got Farore's Wind in my other hand. When the Wizrobe appeared this time I warped behind it with the spell and stabbed it instead, which after being used as a pincushion defeated it entirely, burning away in a green fire and causing both the bars to vanish and a large chest to appear.

Within the chest was a small red gem with a magical presence about it, identical to the one I had for making Fire Arrows, but with a different shape. This one of course was made for creating Fire Bolts instead, and furthermore once I examined the crossbow in more detail I found there was a notch I'd overlooked before where it could be set in place so I wouldn't have to hold the gem like I did on a normal bow.

_"Let me just ask you something, Hero. You can use your mind to do things instead, and you're searching for these Fairy fragments, right?"_

"I thought that much was obvious," Tael muttered.

"They're Stray Fairies," I corrected him reprovingly.

_"They're fragments of a Fairy, Great or not. You know you can get back up here by floating right? So just drop down to the bottom floor, will you? There's a switch and chest down there I think Majora hid a Fairy fragment in."_

"And you didn't mention this while we were in this room before because..."

_"I only just remembered, alright? Even demons aren't perfect you know. Not that any of us will admit that, of course."_


	28. A Goron Chase

Ghirahim's advice proved to be correct, netting me the next Stray Fairy, then rather than float back up I took the stairs instead – taking me back to the first part of this central room I'd met. I noticed here that most of the doors had a coloured frame around them, and after consulting the map the colours signified what room they led to.

Here there were two green-framed doors both covered in ice. I shot and melted both with a fire bolt, letting me into a frigid room that had only a ledge at either end and an arrangement of pillars between. Freezards used to litter the room until I shot them too, and since I'd just looked at the map moments before I knew there was a chest off to one part of the room as well, along with a third door that would lead into a barred-off part of the central chamber.

As I made my way for the chest, which only appeared after dealing with the Freezards, I noticed the third door was also barred. Given the presence of unlit torches, I added fire to each of those with a Din's Fire instead.

"Why not just shoot them too?" Tael asked.

"Because I've got more magic than I do bolts," I replied. "I used bolts on the Freezards because it probably defeats them quicker, but unless we find some fresh stock I'm only going to use Fire Bolts where I need."

_"Pot down at the bottom then,"_ Ghirahim advised._ "It's got magic on it that'll cause it to replenish its contents. Just don't break it or it'll only work once, at least until you re-enter the room."_

"I wondered why the pots always came back whenever I revisited a room," I murmured.

In the barred-off area behind the door there was another giant switch, usable only by Gorons, This caused a pillar in the centre of the room to shoot right up to the top, composed of layers of rock and ice. It blocked off a number of more convenient routes around each floor, but I could ignore that problem easily.

There was also the sound of something switching beneath me, which I suspected was effectively the undo switch. For convenience, I just used Farore's Wind to teleport back out of this area into the main part of the central chamber.

Now I was armed with something that could melt the ice here I made my way back to the chamber I'd found Ghirahim in, defeated the Wolfos again – some monsters just don't like staying dead I guess – then melted two of the ice chunks, one that had another Majora's Mask block, though much smaller this time, and another that had a floor switch under it.

The Great Fairies Mask told me there were Stray Fairies present, one of which was, out of all the places it could be, in a crate that I simply threw at the ground with a single thought to shatter it. The mask's hair still shimmered, but now I'd got that one I figured the second wouldn't be so easy to get, so turned my attention to the switch and block instead.

The switch made a chest appear on an upper ledge, another one unreachable by mundane means. It was clear enough that I'd need to shove the block on what turned out not to be snow but ice, so I just went ahead and skipped all that to collect the next Stray Fairy from the chest.

For the same reason, I skipped moving the block again in order to reach the northern door, taking us back to the room that was similar to this one, where I'd caused a chest to appear before, netting us another Stray Fairy.

To see if I'd missed anything else from not having Fire Bolts I also backtracked to the first room I'd encountered Freezards in, where I'd collected the first two Stray Fairies. It was just as well I did, as the compass addition showed there was a chest here.

Here I found one very useful aspect of the crossbow – the extra power it put behind a bolt gave it some serious piercing power. A bolt shot at one Freezard destroyed it, melted the chunk of ice beyond and defeated another Freezard behind it. Dealing with the one on the other side of the room caused a gold-bound chest to appear netting us a small key.

Since I'd left a fair bit of the room up the stairs from here, I made that my next destination. Hidden up above was a Freezard guarding a frozen golden eye switch. One Fire Bolt melted both and switched the switch, causing one of the platforms to be raised up.

_"Another Fairy Fragment,"_ Ghirahim told me. _"Use that lens of yours to see how to reach it."_

I did just that, seeing a string of tiny platforms hovering in the air reaching up to a hidden alcove and the chest up there, giving us a total of eleven Stray Fairies. Only four more left to get. Either they were easier to find here or I was well on my way to reaching the boss demon and this place wasn't quite as big as it first appeared. At least it wasn't as much of a pain as the Water Temple had been.

The door here led us back once again to the central chamber on the same level as where I'd fought Wizzrobe. There was only one way out that was mundanely accessible once defrosted, which was the northern one, a set of stairs leading up. Before I went up though I noticed another patch of snowy wall that cut off far too neatly to be natural, so investigated as only I could – it appeared inaccessible by other means – and got another Stray Fairy from a chest. Three more to go.

Up on this new level I floated around to the locked western door, rather than changing to a Goron and rolling over a steeply sloping bit of snow that was the only other way around. I wasn't yet confident enough in my own abilities as a Goron to make that without falling, so I saved myself from having to fly back up by doing it now instead.

This got me into an even colder room that was so cold I changed back to being a Goron to handle it better, forcing me to reluctantly keep Ghirahim in one hand – reluctantly because this time there was no silver involved. The demon, probably in an attempt to stay on my good side, didn't react.

There were Eeno in here, but a few punches defeated them in an instant and hardly worth the time I spent on them. Another suspicious patch of snow concealed a Stray Fairy in a bubble, shot to release it. Though it didn't fit me as a Goron any better than as myself, the Great Fairies Mask still drew it to me.

Since the way out was blocked with more ice I was forced to have to abandon Goron form yet again, letting me up the stairs into a tiled room that was no less cold. There were two Dinofol here, but I really wasn't feeling patient enough to play with them so just threw them against the walls then stabbed each to finish them off.

During this one Stray Fairy came to me on its own, and a second came to me as soon as I took out the mask again to see if there were any more. That made all fifteen, and one less thing for me to worry about.

Out the next door I was once again in the central chamber, but now on the same top of the pillar that had earlier been down below, allowing me to cross to the other side and straight through the door there to a large tiled room that had more blue tiles on it – Wizzrobe tiles. I quickly got out the crossbow and loaded it, leaving the fire gem installed in case it helped. Apart from having more tiles to appear on and one that was raised up on a low wooden scaffold, he wasn't any more of a problem than he had been before.

He did manage to actually retaliate once while I was reloading the crossbow, but I reacted quick enough after Tael alarmed me. Wizzrobe had shot a beam of ice at me, but I simply leapt up, enhancing it with a brief mental boost. The floor iced over, but since I was above it there was no real issue.

Once I'd dispatched him I took the other door, leading me to a barred off part of the central chamber that contained the Boss Key Chest, along with a one-way door that led out of here into the central chamber itself, but not back again.

Since I had all the Stray Fairies, the required item, map, compass and Boss key in my possession however, I checked the map to see if there was anything else, then seeing there wasn't I decided it was safe to break the proper sequence a normal person would have to follow and simply made my way to the top and unlocked the door instead.

"Do you know this demon?" I murmured to Ghirahim as the door opened.

_"No. I only know it is called Goht."_

"So no idea what I can expect of him."

_"It, Silver. It is not a normal demon. This one is a demon machine. Capable of thought, but still limited by its demonically animated mechanical body."_

"That doesn't suggest anything nice," I muttered, then finally went through the waiting door. For a boss chamber it seemed oddly small, blocked off by dirt walls on either side – though out of one, encased in ice, was the head of the vast masked mechanical monster, Goht.

Knowing it was probably going to be something I'd harbour regrets about, I shot a single fire bolt at it to melt the ice.

The head, previously locked staring at the opposing wall, creaked down to look at me, then the great shoulders bunched and the wall shattered, revealing the rest of the body and the back legs. It gave a silent roar, though I heard the mental voice of this suddenly woken and enraged demon give a real roar.

Ghirahim snapped something at it in the harsh language of demons that only seemed to enrage it further, causing it to eye me, then charge. I only just managed to dive out the way in time to see it smash through the second wall and thunder off.

I suspected I knew what I had to do next, so took cover quickly and took out Odolwa's mask.

"I don't know how much power you two have, but if you two don't behave yourselves I'm going to do something to the both of you, and right now I don't have the time to think of something, so you're both going in this pouch and you're both going to behave."

With that ultimatum delivered to them I put both Odolwa and Ghirahim in, took out the Goron mask and changed form. I'd planned to wait for Goht to reach me again, but the thundering sound had petered off. I searched with my mind and found it waiting for me not far around the corner, so curled up and rolled after it, putting a bit of force behind the magic to try to force the spikes out early.

It didn't really work, but it didn't need to – as soon as I'd rolled far enough around this apparently doughnut shaped room for Goht to come into view it somehow shot a bolt of lightning at me that caught me full on and sent me flying back. There was some crackling that could have been its version of laughter, then it turned and thundered on again.

I muttered a few oaths then curled up and followed again. This time it was still running when I caught up with it. Goht tried to shoot more lightning at me as it was running, but this time I paid attention and veered off to avoid it.

At first I aimed for its legs, trying to make it stumble, but the mechanical legs barely reacted to my attacks, so instead I started to take advantage of the rough floor. It rose and fell like a miniature mountain range, and often caused me to catch some airtime after some of the peaks. Aiming for one of the steeper ones sent me flying up into the air, losing all traction and direction but nothing else – and once I figured out how to apply my mind so I could continue to steer myself, Goht found me ramming my spiked body into his at any point I could reach.

After several of those attacks it fell quivering to the ground, so I caught up, uncurled and delivered a good few solid blows before it got up and fled, this time the feet hitting the floor so hard it started tearing up bits of earth and rock and destroying the slopes I could use.

I gave pursuit again, avoiding rocks and more lightning thrown my way, then to show the mechanical demon it would have to do better to beat me, I used my mind again to effectively shove myself up into the air, this time slamming down hard on its back. Goht sped up and started creating bombs out of the air to further inconvenience me, but it was just something else to avoid, and I was starting to get to grips with this kind of attack.

It took me longer to catch up with it now it had picked up speed and because I needed to keep my own speed I started to employ my mind to blast rocks and bombs away from my course instead of avoiding them. Only the lightning still had to be avoided, but Goht used it far less often now. Maybe it had something to do with the crackling sparks over its body.

When I finally got close enough to attack again I didn't launch myself this time, instead I drew level and then ducked in under the body first, then pushed myself up to attack it there. Goht fell on me, but amazingly enough as a Goron curled up this had little effect on me except to hold me in place, and though it was a struggle I was able to shove it off me and land a few more punches.

It got up one more time, but was more erratic this time, stumbling from one side to the other until it crashed into one wall and exploded, leaving nothing but the mask behind and the blue exit portal.

_"I am the demon Goht, master of all things mechanical,"_ its voice came. _"You have freed me from my torment Hero, and though I have no liking for you, I am indebted to you for this. I will lend you my aid when the time comes to face the Demon Majora and with my fellow Demons open the way before battle for you to reach his opposite, for perhaps that Demon will aid you also. Heed the warning of the Demon Odolwa also, for Majora's influence will not be purged from my mask until Majora is no more..."_ there was a pause then it added, _"And remain wary of the foul lord whose imprisonment you still hold."_

Then it fell silent.


	29. Them'

As in Woodfall, the blue portal took us out via the dream-realm of the Guardians so the newly freed Guardian could reach out one lanky finger to the Ocarina of Time to protect it, then we descended at the entrance to the still snowy valley where Snowhead's Temple was situated. On the way down it was clearly obvious that we'd had a considerable effect, as much of the snow was gone and further down toward the Mountain Village it was almost gone entirely.

I could see Biggoron now, already making his way up a pillar. He definitely looked fine, so I left him to it and rolled back up, this time turning right and heading into the Great Fairy's cavern instead, reuniting her shattered body.

"And not a moment too soon," she remarked after she'd shown up, aside from the colour of her hair no different to her sister in Clock Town. "I would have something for you, but as a master of the mind you have no need of it. So instead I offer this advice. You are aware you can play each note of the Song of Time twice to travel swiftly forward in time?"

"Yeah, I got told that before I left Hyrule," I said. "What about it?"

"Think, Silver. You can invert the song to slow time's passage. What then would the Goddess of Time bestow upon you were you to both invert and double the Song of Time?"

"Do it much more slowly?" Tael suggested.

"What'd be the point of that?" I replied. "No, I think... it'd let us travel back in time. In a way more controlled than the Song of Time by itself, right?"

"Precisely," the Great Fairy agreed. "There is however a caveat, one that you are no doubt already aware of."

"Meeting my past or future selves, right?"

"Past only, Silver, and that is why you must take care. Wherever you play the song is where you will be after you cancel the effect, and you must take care not to be noticed by your past self. You will not notice a future self because at that point, you will not have created one."

"Thus causing a paradox if I meet myself," I finished. "I'll just be more likely to have it happen since it's all in one three-day period. What about-"

"After playing the standard Song of Time? Then you will be safe until you use this inverted-double song, because you will not have created such a past self to meet," she completed for me. "Now, one last word of advice for you. It was a good idea for you to start at the beginning of the three days, because otherwise you wouldn't have had time for this. I suggest you take your sword now to the smithy in the village below and let them work on it, then while they are busy go to the Goron races. Should you win, they will award you the coveted finest Goron Gold Dust, and then if you return tomorrow to collect your sword only to give that to them, they will reforge it a second time."

"Why not just do it the once?" Tael asked.

"If you were to play the Song of Time, your sword would revert, even after the touch of the Ocarina of Time. If instead you have it reforged with the Gold Dust, not only will it be protected, but it will act as a boost to Silver's mind as well. Now go on – before you run out of daytime."

It wasn't quite as simple as she made out though, and she'd left out a few details. For one thing, she neglected to mention to me that it'd cost me a whole hundred rupees at the smithy, or that during the winter a massive boulder had blocked the way to the Goron Racetrack that neither my mind nor my bombs could shift. The Goron Elder's son rolled up at that point and suggested that I go get a powder keg from Medigoron instead.

Medigoron, no apparent relation to his Hylian namesake, was holed up in a cave just outside the Goron colony and refused outright to sell a powder keg to anyone but a Goron on the grounds that only a Goron could lift the massive kegs, and even then he insisted every Goron had to pass a certification test first. As Darmani had not apparently done this, I was obliged to do it for him.

The test, conveniently enough, was to take a Powder Keg up to the boulder blocking off the Goron Races then return immediately to him.

I'll admit I cheated a bit. I couldn't roll up holding this and I needed both hands for it, but I could still use my mind. Medigoron seemed quite surprised that I had done it so quickly, but I'd done it nevertheless so he agreed to certify me, allowing me to carry all of one powder keg at a time.

Then I went off and took part in the Goron races, which I did _not_ cheat in, much to Tael's disappointment. Having the experience I'd gained in and around Snowhead helped, and using my assumed weight as Darmani to get in a practice run before the actual races only helped. Not only did I get a bottle of finest Gold Dust, but I also got told I could keep the bottle.

I still had some time before the end of the day, but without anything to do I consulted the Notebook and found there was one person I could help. I'd seen her very briefly as I'd passed through Romani Ranch, a little girl who'd seemed rather amnesiac.

I'd actually missed the chance to help her, but with the new advice of the Inverted-Double song, I figured I could handle this. To make sure I wouldn't be meeting my past self I used Farore's Wind to warp back in various hops back to Termina Field, then across it in one quick jump to the entrance of Milk Road, ignoring the boulder easily and descending into the ranch.

The girl wasn't as amnesiac as seen before, she was instead practising archery with what appeared to be a modified shortbow and, much like Jim back in Clock Town, some balloons. I didn't disturb her by changing form there and then, instead ducking behind the nearby stable to become Hylian again.

She watched me come into view around another corner, and I took care to keep out the way as she shot for a balloon and missed. "Drat!" she exclaimed.

"I don't imagine there's much call for archery on a farm, you know," I remarked.

"Ranch," she corrected absently. "Farms grow crops, we raise animals. Green... you're not related to that lunatic Tingle are you?"

"Believe me, you couldn't even make me lie about that. I'm just a visiting Hylian called Silver, and this is my friendly fairy Tael."

"Huh...so, fairy boy... can you keep a secret?"

"Better than you think," Tael remarked. "This little kid is hiding all kinds of things."

"What kind of secret do you want me to keep?"

"You want to know why Romani is practising archery, right? Well... every year at the carnival, it's the same... _they_ appear."

"They?"

"No one knows what they are. They come down late at night in a ball of light and try to abduct our cows, and if they do... we can't get our speciality, Château Romani. My big sis Cremia doesn't believe me, so I prepare for it. But... I'm not a very good shot yet."

"I've got a bow," I said. "Maybe I could help you. It's a crossbow, but it still shoots something."

Romani looked at me curiously, then said, "Maybe if you show me how good you are. Romani will set up the balloons, and you shoot them down as quick as you can."

"I wonder why she talks about herself like that?" Tael wondered as she did just that.

"Who knows? The Notebook has her in it, so she must need some help. Maybe helping her with her 'They' we'll do just that. And if not, well, it'll burn some time, and we've got plenty of that."

I set up my crossbow with the reloading mechanism but without the fire gem, feeling confident enough to only need three bolts. After having done the swamp shooting gallery I felt it was well warranted.

Romani was suitably impressed with my crossbow, particularly after we found the bolts quite a ways away, then told me to come back at the second hour past midnight because that was when 'They' would show up.

I left her to continue her own practice then ducked out of sight again, using the Double Song of Time to skip ahead just enough. I found that if I focused on a specific time when I played the song, the time-slip effect would cancel out itself as it got close to that time, which would be invaluable.

Romani, who had experienced time in the natural order during this period, seemed amazed that I was still wide awake at this time of night and told me that since she trusted in my skills more than hers, she'd defend the cows in the barn and let me handle 'Them' outside.

As soon as she was out of sight I decided to cheat a bit again, hovering up above the ranch so I'd have a perfect view of whoever was closest to the barns. Not long after, just as Romani had said a large ball of blazing light came down and hovered over the ranch, shooting out the occasional bright light that caused a strange creature to appear. They had no mind that I could sense, and neither did the ball whatever 'They' were, they weren't anything I'd come across.

'They' were also rather fragile, as a single bolt caused them to vanish. They were replaced not long after by a fresh one from the strange ball of light, and shooting that had no effect, so I just kept on shooting them.

I tried experimentally to reach out with my mind at one of them, having to guess as they had no presence to sense, but no matter what I tried I just couldn't get hold of them. It was as if they were only real for fully physical things. Even a flare from Din's Fire just passed right through them, but, strangely enough, a fire bolt had the same effect as a normal one.

I kept up my watch, shooting them down as they reappeared to keep Romani and the cows safe, rapidly going through my stock of bolts. Fortunately, and by suspicious coincidence, there was a pot that had somehow been left on the roof of one of the ranch buildings that replenished it's stock inside as long as it wasn't broken that contained, yes, bolts.

When the first light of dawn broke the horizon the last of 'Them' vanished back into the ball of light which then shot off toward the opposing horizon, marking the end of this. I quickly settled back down to earth to meet Romani, who though tired had stayed up, gave me a bottle of milk in thanks – like many, letting me keep the bottle – then asked if I could see her sister Cremia that evening when she made her run to Clock Town.

She didn't say anything beyond that, but I got the impression she was concerned for her sister's safety, and with the reputation the Gormon Brothers nearby had for being thieves – among other things – I could understand that.

I meanwhile found a tree to take a nap in – they're very useful for that you know – until later on, where I would have picked up my sword had I not shown them the gold dust and another hundred rupees to further improve my sword, which they now called the Razor Sword. It was certainly longer and better suited for slashing with, at least.

It meant another day without a sword, but that was alright by me. I could catch up on some sleep again, and the Notebook helpfully told me when I had to be around for Cremia.


	30. Mask Thief

Cremia did not seem surprised to see me that evening, or apparently during the day either while she and Romani had been tending the ranch and I'd been content to sleep through it. By the sounds of things, Romani had already talked to her, so when I offered to go with her to Clock Town she didn't have any objections.

I had however overlooked that now that I was allowed to use Powder Kegs, I could have detonated the boulder blocking Milk Road. This was actually good, in a way, as it caused all the events that followed when Cremia stopped at the boulder.

"We'll have to take the other route," Cremia said from the front of the wagon. "And that's just what they want, of course."

"They?" I asked.

"The Gormon Brothers – not that I've been able to prove anything. Romani says you've got a crossbow."

"That's right. I don't like to brag, but I think I'm a pretty good shot with it."

"Get it ready then. They'll try to attack the wagon and steal the milk so they can sell it for extortionate amounts."

That gave me an idea. It meant explaining a few things to her, but...

"Don't get excited," I warned her. "I'm going to do something fairly remarkable, and I do it usually to avoid the attention I get normally. It'll give me another way to deal with them."

Cremia looked interested rather than concerned and, feeling somewhat awkward as I still didn't like changing in front of people, I concealed my wearing the Zora mask. All she saw was me apparently taking off the Hylian mask.

"Mikau?" she exclaimed. "That was-"

"Yeah, that was me," I lied. "You see what I mean about avoiding attention. Won't be so easy to use the crossbow now, but I've got other options."

"Will you be able to handle it?" she asked, starting to turn back to shake the reins.

"Trust me. I'll handle them whatever it takes."

Cremia shook the two horses into action, not entirely covering the last remark of, "Mikau on my milk wagon..."

"God, not again," I muttered. Tael just chuckled to himself. "Fanboy," I told him.

"Yep, and enjoying every moment of it while it lasts," he replied.

Several signs started to go past, barely visible in the evening darkness but just clear enough to make out that we'd had to divert on to the Gormon Racetrack. Almost as soon as we'd rounded the first corner two riders leapt a fence leading from the rest of the racetrack and started to pursue, either not recognising me or not caring.

Fortunately for us they were not armed with bows of their own, just long spears. They were disguised, if you can call what they were wearing a disguise – one wore what looked like a sack with eye-holes in, while the other had what was definitely a mask. I reached out tentatively and found it had a very faint but clearly definable magic presence about it, much like the Mask of Truth.

More ideas occurred to me. Cremia couldn't prove anything because they concealed their faces, but she had seemed certain it was them. They were thieves, and though Manic will probably disagree, thieves should expect to be thieved from.

One of the two approached so I nudged the flare of Zora magic into one fin and sent it lashing out at him. It acted like a boomerang, and like the boomerang I'd had before I was able to guide it and nudge it into harassing him, forcing him back. Unlike the real boomerang though it had to return to me eventually, snapping on to the fin on my arm.

Now the other one, who wore the interesting mask approached, allowing me to see it better. It looked in some ways like it was also just a sack-cloth, but made of other material and with a partially decorative yellow tie around the neck to hold it in place.

I sent the other fin at him, but with him I didn't just harass him with it, I caused it to take off the mask entirely and take it from him, revealing the surprised face. Cremia glanced back then pushed a small box into my hands.

"Quickly – take a pictograph of him!" she commanded.

The Gormon brothers both heard this of course, but I wasn't out of tricks yet. Din's Fire, ever useful, created a flame behind them that caused their horses to panic and advance closer, and a second flare lit things up while Tael rapidly explained how the box worked. I used the flare to illuminate them, quickly sending the other fin to remove the rudimentary mask of the other, then snapped a picture of them.

They fell back after that and not long after we emerged back on to Milk Road. Cremia didn't seem to have noticed that I'd stolen the mask from one of them, and since it had a magic presence about it I decided once we arrived I'd take Tael's advice and ask the Mask Man about it.

Cremia, for her part, assured me we were safe now and asked me to take the reins while she extracted the pictograph from the box.

"Yes! We've got them now!" she exclaimed. "Finally. With your word to back me up, we can take this to the watch in town and they'll come and arrest them. Finally, my milk is safe from those thieving-" she paused. "Well, no need to go into what I think of _them_," she concluded. "I can't thank you enough for this Mikau."

A memory of Mikau's nudged me, and I replied, "Just doing the right thing for the famous Château Romani. Just the thing to settle nerves before a performance in town."

"I didn't know you were a fan of it too. I didn't think Zoras liked milk."

"The band does. Better than some other choices Evan reckons he prefers," I added, trying to conceal my own surprise since I was finding these things out at the same time. Mikau was helpfully providing what I needed to continue to be him. "I'll give you a hand unloading when we arrive if you like. I've not got anything else to do, not until morning."

"Oh, don't you worry about that, Mr. Barten, the man who runs it, always handles that. He'll be just as surprised to see you as I am though. But he won't..." she broke off. "Well, I imagine as the lead guitarist he'll let you in without the Romani's Mask actually. It's kind of a mark of membership."

"I don't suppose you could spare such a mask? For the times when I don't want to attract attention and look as human as everyone else?"

"I hadn't thought of that. I'll ask him when we get there, and tell him it's for..."

"A special fan of his?" Tael suggested. "Something he promised to get them?"

Cremia nodded, "That'd probably work. He can't doubt you've got too many fans to count."

"You're telling me," I sighed.

Cremia did indeed talk to Mr. Barten and got me a Romani's Mask to give to my 'special fan', and also mentioned that Toto, the band manager was in the bar as well, not drinking but wondering about performing a sound-test. Except without anyone there, he couldn't test it.

I did wander on in and talk with him, surprising him since he thought 'I' had perished trying to get into the Gerudo Fortress but still concerned since Lulu had not recovered her voice. I promised him I was only taking some time out from the Gerudo Fortress so I could approach it freshly with some new ideas in mind and maybe the guard there let down a bit, then also promised – again, since I'd already done so for Mikau – to try to do something for Lulu too.

Fortunately it was still night after I'd whiled away that time with Toto, so I wasn't too concerned about wandering through town without bothering to change forms. The watchmen in the town nodded respectfully to me, one even asking me to sign a piece of parchment for his children, but mostly kept to themselves and the few other people out at night generally did the same.

When I entered the Clock Tower, which once again caused time outside to freeze in place for whatever strange reason. The Mask Man was not present, but he appeared when I called him.

"I haven't yet, but I am working on it. I just wanted to ask you about a mask I've found. You don't mind, do you?"

"Not at all, Silver. I see you have healed the soul of the great Zora Guitarist. Have you considered what will happen when you depart Termina when your tasks are done? Will you stay here and fill his shoes, or tell the band the truth?"

"I'll figure that out when I get there. I've got the moon and Majora's Mask on my mind right now. This is the mask I wanted to ask you about," I said, handing him the mask the Gormon Brother had worn.

"Ah, the Garo's Mask," he nodded, recognising it instantly. "It is said that it was once worn by one of the two armies that once fought in Ikana Canyon. They were called the Garo, spies that sought out the Ikana Royal Family during the Great War of Ikana. The ninja spirits contained within this mask may cause their now undead brethren to show themselves to you should you go there. But these Garo Robes will see you not as one of them and attack. Honourable in defeat however, they may divulge great secrets to you if you can defeat them. The mask poses no threat to you Silver, only the Garo it will bring to you."

"That's useful, and maybe useful if I need some advice while up in Ikana."

"Indeed. Have you visited the graveyard there, by chance? You may find something of interest there while you wait for your sword to be reforged, but I should go tonight if I were you. Your unique abilities will no doubt allow you to investigate in great detail, perhaps even to see someone otherwise unseen..."

Then he vanished again.

"Hey, wait a moment," Tael said. "Did you tell him about the sword?"

"No, I-" I paused. "How in the world did he know that?"

"That guy is creepy. Helpful, but creepy."

"And it was your advice to see him too. Come on, we'd better hurry if we want to get there tonight. I think I'll stop by that stupid lunatic Tingle and see if I can get a map of Ikana out of him."

"And the Great Bay too. We'll be going there once we've done all this helping and stuff."


	31. Potion Brewer

The wind over the past two days had moved Tingle conveniently out of town and above the entrance to Ikana Canyon, where as I still seemed to be Mikau, he managed to forgo his usual exclamation that I had to be a fairy. It cost only twelve rupees for a map of Ikana at his special rate for celebrities, and after some choice words was persuaded to give me a map of the Great Bay. If it had been anyone else I'd have felt a little guilty about telling him I wanted to show his maps to the other Zoras so they could see how accurate they were, but given his mental state I doubted it was worth it.

Ikana was much like I imagined the Gerudo Desert to be under all that sand – a wasteland of sun-blasted red rock with only occasional small sand dunes. Littered with Real Bombchus that were easily dealt with by the Zora fins, I trekked up and kept my mind active as the Mask man had suggested.

Part way up I caught a brief sense of a human mind, and after a search of the area I found evidence of a tiny encampment that looked as if it had one inhabitant. There was no one there though, just the sense of a living mind.

A scrap of wood and piece of charcoal moved apparently of their own accord, the charcoal writing on the board in Hylian, 'Can you see me?'

"No," I answered aloud. "But I can sense you. Give me just a moment." I reached into the pouch which provided the Lens of Truth, exactly what I'd been thinking off. Through its indigo glass the writer appeared, a soldier much like those in Clock Town. "Now I can," I told him.

He tried to speak, but either he'd been silenced or whatever was making him invisible was making him unseeable as well. Once he figured this out, he went into his camp and took out a battered looking book.

I struggled with the Hylian as usual – a surprise to the soldier, who like everyone else saw Mikau – but after a bit Tael started to guide me and I started to pick it up a little better. The book was actually the soldier's diary, telling the story of how he was sent with others from Clock Town to investigate Ikana Canyon and the Stone Tower within, but became separated from his companions then cursed by a Poe that had called itself Sharp, thus making him so unremarkable as to be unseen and unheard by all. It was only the Lens and my mind that allowed me to bypass this.

Once I was done and at least reading the language a little better, I understood and handed it back to him. "Give me a little time," I told him. "I think I know someone who can help with this, but it'll take a bit of time, and don't worry about the moon either," I added as he pointed up to it. "I'll be back before the moon falls."

The soldier nodded glumly, possibly from having heard this kind of promise before. If that was the case though, I fully intended to break the trend. The only one I could think of who might know something about this was Kotake, who wouldn't remember me meeting her but should at least have heard of Mikau.

On the way back out I checked through the pouch to see if the mushrooms the Deku Butler had given me were still there, which they conveniently were. These were the ones she needed to make Blue Potion, and it was that I was hoping could do it. The soldier wasn't a troubled soul as such so I didn't think the Song of Healing would be the tool of choice here, but perhaps the cure-all of the Blue Potion would help.

Kotake was not open at night, but a sign outside left her visiting times. Since I knew where I'd been at the time not too long before her closing time, I made a guess of what time it was now, then headed back in time a ways and let myself in.

She was dozing, but looked up quickly when I deliberately let the door close loudly, then almost fell back off what she was sat on when she realized who it was. A celebrity like Mikau gets around quickly.

I couldn't help but chuckle slightly, then told her, "I'm just here to get a little help for a friend, that's all."

"You mean your little Zora singer," she said shrewdly. "I've been working on that one, but I don't have anything."

"Don't worry, I've already got a solution for that in mind. What I'm thinking of is slightly different. There's someone I've found who, if his account can be believed, was cursed by a Poe over in Ikana and is now so unremarkable he can't be seen or heard."

"Are you sure it wasn't just a spirit leading you on? That place is littered with them."

"No, I'm certain. I had help from a strange creature calling itself Silver who could ignore the curse somehow," I lied. I had to prove it somehow, didn't I? "I heard you sometimes brew Blue Potion and wondered if it would be able to cure him."

"It might. With the right amplifier, of course," she said after a few minutes thought. "But I'm missing-" she stopped as I held out the mushrooms. "You, Mikau, are very good at knowing what people need. But we're missing the amplifier. The potion by itself will cure him of any physical and mental mundane ills, but a curse is inherently magic."

"Would a magic song made for healing the soul work?" I suggested.

Kotake considered it as she brewed her potion, adding some red and some green to a fresh pot with the mushrooms and some other ingredients. "It might. But it might not. What you need is something that will wash it away, like a rainstorm. I hear there was once a song composed in some far off land to that effect, made by our own composer brothers for their royal family."

"That's not much to go on, Kotake. Isn't there anything else you can recall about it?"

"Just one thing. It was reputedly played by a boy in green who caused a village windmill to go out of control and drain a water well."

Sound familiar? I'd managed to make my way into Termina long before I'd actually got there myself. It made the theory that this was the same Kotake I'd defeated a little more likely sounding, else how would she know what happened in Hyrule?

"I know the song you're thinking of – the Song of Storms. I think I can play it for you."

"Not yet!" she screeched. "The potion has to be ready first, and I have to make it ready for infusion. Do you want to bring down a downpour on us?"

"I'm a Zora, the rain doesn't bother me," I shrugged. "I'll go outside and play it to make sure I've got it right if you'd prefer. Make sure I've got it down so there's no mistakes at the time."

"You just do that. You might be a legend on a guitar, but you're just in the way with potion-brewing. Not that I mean any offence by that of course," she added hurriedly. "Now out! So I can get this right myself!"

I had to concede she had a point. Mikau's skills would undoubtedly help me play the song on his guitar, but I really didn't know anything about brewing the potions. I kinda had to trust her word on this.

I still had at least two hours before my past self would show up, and I hoped that in that time Kotake would finish the potion so I could avoid a paradox. If it got too close I'd just have to have a few words with Kotake, make her appear to be closed, then get myself out the way until my prior self had gone back in time.

"How do you know the song she mentioned?" Tael asked outside. "Or... wait. Let me guess. You're the boy she mentioned, aren't you?"

"I can't imagine what would make you think I'd do such a thing. It was kind of necessary though. In Hyrule's future, which has yet to happen, the well was dry and the man in the windmill was raging about some kid who'd played a song, made the windmill go too fast, dry up the well and so on. He was, for some weird reason, playing that same song, so I got him to teach me it, then because I knew I was that boy, I had to travel back to two years ago and play it. If I hadn't, the well wouldn't have been dry, which-"

"Would cause a paradox. You had to play it so he could teach it to you so you could..." he paused. "Wait, isn't that..."

"Yeah, try not to think about it," I nodded. "Time travel does that to you. Remember what Blaze said?"

"Now, then and sometime next week all jumbled together. I'm starting to understand why she said it. Now, what about that song?"

I knew the song, of course, but there's a difference between playing it on an Ocarina, and playing it on the same Ocarina masquerading as Mikau's guitar. For one thing a guitar can pump out many, many more notes than the Ocarina could.

But I also had Mikau's spirit resident in the mask still granting me access to the skills he'd picked up and worked on. It didn't cover all of it as the song was not familiar to him, but his experience and my memory of the song provided stepping stones that meant that before long, I had caused the local part of the swamp to experience an unexpected shower, complete with thunder and lightning. Water I might have been alright with in this form, but lightning is quite another thing entirely. Thankfully Kotake's hut had an overhanging roof I could shelter from them under.

After a time she let me back in, keeping out of the rain I'd summoned.

"We'll only have a short time to do this in," she told me. "The moment I pour the contents of this jar into the brewing pot-" she gestured to it, now in the middle of the room. "-you'll have to play the song. The magic from it will be captured and instilled into the potion instead of into the air around us, giving us an exceptionally potent Blue Potion that will heal your friend and perhaps more besides."

I got myself ready, waiting for the moment she added the last ingredient, then as soon as she gave me the sign I played the song again, perfectly first time this time after the little practice session outside. Rain started to form inside, but quickly vanished into a blue light that streamed from the air and the notes coming from the guitar, all down into the potion which turned a very dark blue from the lighter one it had been before.

When it was done Kotake dipped one finger into it and tasted it, pausing to consider it for a few moments then nodding. I dipped two of my bottles in – you never know when a super-potent all-curing potion might come in useful, after all – and she sent me on her way so she could bottle up the rest herself, no doubt to sell for a very high price, or keep for later use.

I didn't have long before I would arrive here, so I quickly got out of there to a point where I knew I wouldn't be, used the Song of Double Time to advance past my playing the Inverted-Double song to go back, then trekked back up into Ikana canyon to share the newly made remedy with the soldier.

He was clearly surprised to see me back so quickly, or perhaps at all, but looked very hopeful as he took the potion from me. I made sure I could see him both through the Lens and also where he was without it so I could see if it worked.

The potion took a few moments to take effect, without the lens causing a blue human-shaped light start to glow, pulling back up to reveal the now uncursed soldier. The glow paused at his face, then solidified into a mask that dropped to the floor, a mask that looked like a dark indigo stone with eye-holes and a childish impression of a mouth cut out of it.

"Did it work?" the soldier asked. "Can you..."

"We can see and hear you now," Tael confirmed for me, while I retrieved the stone mask.

"I cannot thank you enough for this!" he said with a great sigh of relief. "Now I can go back into town and set the record straight – we did not all perish here after all!"

I was going to ask if he minded if I kept the mask, but he'd already packed his few belongings from his camp and was heading back toward Clock Town before I could say a word.


	32. Captain of the Dead

Using the map to navigate the early stages of Ikana soon got me to the Graveyard, inhabited by one living soul – the undead-phobic gravekeeper – and a lot of skeletal Stalfos and Stalchildren. Interestingly, they didn't move to attack but seemed to be chattering among themselves quite happily. Some of them mentioned a sleeping captain, or a 'Captain Keeta', and from what I gathered I soon found him.

Captain Keeta was a giant Stalfos, the eye-sockets empty of the glowing eyes the others had. He rested with his head underneath a stone bridge, inanimate. Beside him was a carved inscription that had seen better days, but thanks to Tael's recent assistance with the language I was able to read it fine.

"'Ye who awaken me, battle me. Then I shall extinguish the furious flame.'" I read.

"Suggests that song we got off the Deku King," Tael said. "Wonder what the furious flame is though?"

"The chest that contains the captain's soul," the gravekeeper said, having approached warily while we'd been reading it. "It's up on top, but you can't get near it. It's surrounded by a magic fire. You're... not going to try to wake him, are you?" he asked nervously.

"It sounds like I'm going to have to," I said, then looked at him and after a moment told him, "Give some thought to finding someone else to do this. You're not doing yourself any favours here, you know."

The gravekeeper gave the Stalfos another nervous look and hurried off back to his hut.

"Or he could just only come out in the daytime," Tael said. "They don't show up then."

"Maybe not, but he's up right now, and that's when they're around. Lets wake the good captain up and see if we can't bargain with him. I don't think I can fight him without my sword."

"What about that big one you used last time you borrowed Mikau's form?" Tael reminded me.

I hadn't even thought of that. For best effect I brought out the Golden Gauntlets once again, knowing they fit Mikau better than any other form I had and also knowing they'd helped before and would again.

Then, feeling rather stupid, I realized I had to take them off again to play the guitar, and further to that the Sonata of Awakening only seemed to work if I was a Deku. This meant Captain Keeta was busy getting up, breaking the bridge over his head as he stood up, while I quickly changed form, stowed the mask away, got the gauntlets back on and picked up Biggoron's sword. I barely had enough time before several Stalfos had approached at the captain's unheard command, but one wide swing shattered the lot of them.

Captain Keeta meanwhile was heading up a path beyond the bridge that was littered with more Stalfos coming down the other way for me. I mostly ignored them unless they were in my way while I ran after him, or at least as much as I could wielding the great blade. It was an inconvenience, so instead I just flew.

Keeta had an answer to that. Two answers, as is happened. The ground ahead started to glow a cherry red, and I suspected I knew why. I got past it just in time, a wall of fire shooting up to bar progress without having to soar up higher.

The Stalfos meanwhile were gathering together and standing on top of each other to reach me. This at least was easier to handle; a well placed blow struck down on one sent the force of the blow through the entire stack. Enhanced by both my mind and the gold in the gauntlets the blow reached considerable strength, causing some Stalfos to shatter as it passed through and many to fall.

They were persistent however, and under Keeta's command also smart. The Stalfos would not only walk through the walls of fire – more were appearing now as I chased Keeta up the path – but they were also reassembling each other.

I had to focus on Keeta before he reached the end of this path, as who knew what lay in wait up there? I attacked the giant Stalfos wherever I could, sometimes knocking a giant bone out of place before Keeta knocked it back in, but just like his Stalfos I persisted and eventually I knocked out a leg bone, causing him to crash to the ground. The assembled Stalfos all stopped and looked at the sound, pausing in their tasks to watch.

Even I stopped as Keeta stared down at the remaining bones in his leg, separated from his foot. Finally he looked up at me and said, "Do you know how hard it is to get a bone like that back in place?"

"I wouldn't know,"I replied warily. "I don't exactly have any experience with putting myself back together, you know."

"No, I imagine you wouldn't," Keeta sighed, already reaching for the separated bone. He turned it over a few times before apparently deciding which way it was supposed to go, then clicked it back into place at the knee, then at the foot, testing it as he got back up. He appeared to notice the Stalfos below for the first time, snapping his bony fingers to wordlessly command them to go back down into the graveyard.

"That's it?" I asked. "We're done already?"

"I'm sorry, did you want to fight some more?" Keeta asked. "I can arrange it if you like."

"No, I just... This is kinda unexpected."

"Should be a nice surprise for you then. Come with me back down to the bridge below. I'll take the fire away and you..." he trailed off. "I don't know if it'll work. When I was defeated in battle my commander cursed me to stay like this for eternity, or until someone defeated me again, and to maintain his curse my soul was taken, trapped into the form of a mask and put into that chest. It can only be opened by someone who's defeated me."

"And you're not sure if this counts, right?" I asked.

"Got it in one. Of course if it does work, you'll be recognised by Stalfos everywhere as the captain of the army of King Igos du Ikana, obeying your orders even as they have me. All I ask of you is that you carry my last words to my army – tell them that the war is over."

"I'll... pass it on," I replied, still not quite feeling certain of what was going on. Had I beat him or not?

I settled beside the chest mentioned, surrounded by fire as I'd been told. Keeta simply put down a giant hand over it to smother the flames, then waited to see if I could open it. I stowed away the sword, since I wasn't going to need that just yet, then gave it a try.

It opened easily at my touch, to the surprise of Keeta and the assembled ranks of Stalfos on the other side of the bridge to him. The mask I drew out resembled the giant captain, a hollow bone skull that even shared the glowing eyes. There was a murmur through the ranks of Stalfos as they saw this.

Keeta still waited and watched. I got the impression I knew what he was waiting for, so put on the mask even though I was still a Zora – at least masks all worked in any form. It didn't change my form as such, but the effect was nearly immediate. The assembled Stalfos all rattled a nearly unified salute.

"The Captain's Hat has a new bearer!" Keeta called out. "Hail, Silver, Captain of the army of Ikana!"

As the Stalfos took up that cry, I was startled. Just how had he known my name? My _real_ name at that. I had to ask.

"When you are freed from the bonds of life Silver, you gain a new insight into those who are still alive," he answered, then he too saluted. "Captain, sir! May I take leave sir?"

After hearing his story, I felt it was only fair he get what he deserved, nodding acknowledgement. Unlike other Stalfos, he faded away entirely, given the rest he'd been denied for so long.

In the graveyard behind, many of the Stalfos had vanished leaving only those who'd been there before. One of them approached as I made to leave.

"Captain, Sir! In accordance with Captain Keeta's orders, we have guarded these gravestones awaiting this time. With your permission sir, we will open them for you to investigate the caves beneath. We know not what lies beneath, but trust you will not hesitate to call us should you need."

I glanced to Tael, who despite having no shoulders somehow managed a shrug, then to the soldier, "Open the grave then."

"Sir!" it saluted, then to the waiting Stalfos, "Open the grave!"

Working together they shattered the gravestone in short order, revealing the entrance to a cavern beneath. Then, their tasks done and the grave no longer needing guarding, they sank into the ground.

They weren't in the cave beneath when I dropped down into it. After a moment I headed back up, finding there were two more graves that would drop me down in different parts of the cave beneath, in places I wouldn't normally be able to access. I could handle all three at once.

The first took me to a smaller room with a lot of bats, easily dealt with by sending both Zora fins through them. A chest gave me a purple rupee, worth 50, and lighting all the torches unbarred the door ahead where I met a familiar sight – an Iron Knuckle.

"I love these guys," I murmured to Tael. "They're so stupid you wouldn't even believe it."

"Don't do anything reckless just to show me, Silver."

"Are you kidding me? I'm a hero – it's my job to be reckless!"

I woke up the inanimate Iron Knuckle by delivering a kick to its chestplate, sending a bell-like ringing through its armour. Like all other Iron Knuckles it picked up its axe, clunking to where I was. I held Farore's Wind in one hand and waited.

It swung the axe just as I used the spell to get clear where Tael and I watched. The Iron Knuckle stopped, stared at its axe embedded in the floor then went, "Ungh?" I couldn't help but laugh at that, which of course told it where to find me.

I let it keep trying a few times before I finally decided to stop playing and deal with it, floating up above, removing it's helmet then sticking a bomb under it before I rammed it back on its head, the same thing I'd done to the ones I'd once met in Ganondorf's tower. The Iron Knuckle dropped its axe and scrabbled at its helmet desperately, but I held it down until it exploded and defeated it.

It didn't get me anything useful, although it did reveal a stone tablet behind that had a song inscribed on it, and an inscription telling us that it was the last song composed by Flat and Sharp, the composer brothers. The song I recognised – it was the Song of Storms.

Now I'd finished this route, instead of opening the second grave I just skipped over the seemingly bottomless pit below for the second one. The first room here was another pit, the only way across revealed by the Lens of Truth as I floated above, content in knowing that I wouldn't have to keep taking leaps of faith like anyone else would have had to. In the room beyond was another Iron Knuckle, no harder to defeat than the first. It didn't leave anything at all, so I headed back for the third and final route.

Unlike the other two, this led to a large open area. It looked like someone had been digging here, and also left several used lanterns behind. After I poked about a bit a Big Poe showed up instead of an Iron Knuckle. I'd fought these before too, or at least something similar to them. They had an annoying habit of appearing behind me.

I had to change back to use the crossbow since Mikau's hands didn't really work so well with it, then just settled for avoiding it while I waited for the chance to shoot it. After several shots it fell defeated, leaving behind its soul which soon faded away and a chest that appeared on a ledge, giving me another empty bottle.

Since it was almost morning when I finally emerged I let the Stalfos be for now – they'd hide until nightfall anyway – and instead changed to a Goron and started making my way up to the Mountain Village. I could have gone quicker, but I didn't want to arrive that quickly. It meant that I only had to wait a short time before the smithy opened and I found the two smiths inside had finished working on my sword, giving me the newly forged Gilded Sword that I still have with me to this day.


	33. Gerudo Fortress

After searching through the Notebook I was fairly certain that besides handling the Ikana area to find the local dungeon, I'd done all I could for now and it was time for me to go back to the first day and at long last uphold the unspoken promise I'd made to Mikau. He'd waited long enough for me to work around to this point. It was a fair part of the reason I'd started to use his form more often lately.

In retrospect that may have been somewhat of a mistake. As I hadn't been to the local home of Zoras I could not start off there, limiting me to Clock Town, the Deku Palace and the Goron Colony. Of them Clock Town would give me the best access.

While my probably sudden appearance still did not startle anyone, it took only a few moments for people to recognise me in their midst, and since the band was scheduled to play in town for the carnival, naturally everyone knew me. Night in town had been bearable because it was quiet, day by comparison was near impossible.

Even finally managing to make my way out the southern gate didn't offer much respite as the more persistent people pushed past the startled guard and carried on out on to Termina Field. At least there were only those who were willing to brave the monsters known to be on the field, no matter how distant. It was easier to handle them and gently persuade them to go on back into town where it was safe.

"Why didn't you say something before I played the song, Tael," I murmured, watching the last of them go on back in.

"And miss seeing you with your fans? You must be joking."

"You're enjoying this, aren't you?"

"Can you blame me?" he asked just a little too smugly for my liking.

"I should have put on the mask we got from that soldier. If I'm right it's the curse on him in the form of a mask. Being so unremarkable no one notices me might be useful."

"Where's the fun in that?"

I gave up. I liked Tael now we'd got past our initial enmity and been through a few things, but sometimes he could still be insufferable.

For my part now I headed back to the Great Bay, taking my new sword in hand even though I was a Zora for now. The Gilded Sword looked like only my Deku and Goron forms would have any trouble with it, longer than the original Kokiri Sword with an edge that I'd been assured would never dull. The gold dust had not been just for the ornamental golden lines on it, but had been used throughout the blade, making it both functional and ornate without sacrificing anything.

The sharp edge soon persuaded the Leevers on the sandy beach area of the field to leave me alone, defeating them easily now. I had to do the same when I emerged out on to the Great Bay coastline, the Leevers here having not learned their lesson, but that didn't take long.

Mikau was not here. Not like he'd been when I'd first encountered him. There was no Zora in the water, but there were a few confused seagulls circling the air above where he should have been.

"Wait a moment," Tael said. "If he's not here, how come... they wouldn't need to be there if it was him, so why..."

"I imagine it's a side effect of the Ocarina of Time. The mask at least has been sharing the pouch with it when I've not been using it, so it must have been protected. That means the event I got it from has to have been saved, even if we don't see it."

"Right, but why are the sea birds still above where he was?"

"I'm not sure, but I think it might be that only these three days are actually affected because that's when I arrived. So before dawn today, when I got here, Mikau was still there. Then I arrived and the saved event happened all in one go, so they're left there."

"You really believe that?" Tael asked me sceptically.

"If you want I'll travel back in time a bit further and we'll find out for certain."

"No, I'm good thanks. You've managed to go way over my head already with just what you're doing, that'd just be going too far."

"In that case then, lets go do what Mikau couldn't – go to the Gerudo Pirates fortress and retrieve the Zora eggs. Oh, before we go... Navi was usually alright underwater with me. Will you be alright too?"

"I'm not going to like it, but I'm sure I'll be fine. I can fly fast enough to keep up with a streaking Zora, I'm sure, and I'm a fairy so I can breath underwater if I have to."

"Really? I always wondered about that. Never got around to asking Navi. She never seemed to eat anything or need a drink..."

"We're fairies," Tael answered as if that was all the explanation needed. "We're magic creatures. Go swim... Mikau."

This was one aspect of the Zora's skills I had not yet had a chance to practice. I knew already that Zoras were equally at home underwater as they were out of it, and naturally would be able to swim better than any land-dwelling race – especially the Gorons.

I've never really done much swimming though, even in Hyrule's Water Temple where I simply created a bubble around myself and mentally pushed that around as I needed. As a Zora I had no need for even that.

Mikau knew everything I needed to of course. But there's a difference between knowing and actually doing it. So you can't really blame me for being a little uncertain about the whole thing as I walked out into the sea.

When I was finally submerged beneath the water, seeing perfectly through eyes that were made for either environment, I found there was another Zora ability I hadn't noticed before. They had the ability to change their buoyancy, changing where they came to rest naturally. I could sink down to the sea bed and walk along it or hover anywhere between the bed and the surface, or even surface just like anyone else would.

Being able to breath underwater was the next marvel. I had to keep reminding myself not to hold my breath because I didn't need to any more, I could breath easily, partly through the gills but unless I was actually swimming – badly, at the moment – they wouldn't provide as much as just breathing normally.

I mentally leafed through Mikau's memories and skills, finding the way he'd used to get in to the Gerudo Fortress – an old boarded cave that seemed to be the only flow of water in and out of the lagoon inside the fortress – then also finding out how exactly a Zora would prefer to get around underwater.

I'm not quite sure I can explain it. I know now how to do it, once I'd done it the first time it seemed like the simplest thing. But I don't think I can explain it. It did however give me a considerable turn of speed and after a ways it even became rather fun. Just for the fun of it, something Mikau also used to do on occasion, I arced up and breached the surface of the water, skimming across it a few times before I had to go back underneath to pick up speed again.

It was just as well in that regard that the Great Bay was appropriately named, with plenty of room around for that kind of thing. It meant that I could beeline for the underwater entrance while at the same time familiarizing myself with this.

For a time I thought I might be defenceless while swimming this way, but that soon turned out not to be the case. I recalled way back when I'd first got the Zora Mask there'd been the electrical barrier, and a flare of magic into that brought that out around me even though I was swimming. Offensive and defensive, and very useful if I needed to deal with an underwater foe. It'd mean using some hit and run tactics, but that wasn't going to be a problem I decided.

The boards Mikau had broken had not been replaced – perhaps the Gerudos hadn't thought about this or even knew about it – so I streaked right through into the lagoon beyond, coming to rest quite a ways beneath the surface while I surveyed the scene above.

These Gerudos were similar to their desert cousins, but had no issues with the water. There were some few patrolling the outside of the fortress carved out of the rock face, but most of them were on a ring of boats patrolling the lagoon itself. There were a few places I could reach, but with the patrol circling the area like a flock of vultures waiting for their meal to die, they saw everything.

Since I already knew most, if not all, non-transformation masks would still work regardless of my form this was easily solved with the Stone mask – assuming it worked the way I thought it did. To test it out I rose up to the surface near where the boats were passing, and no one reacted.

I swam alongside one of them, then called up, "Hey, you!"

The front most Gerudo turned around to the other two, uncertain of who had spoken and said, "What now?"

The other two Gerudos shared a look with each other, then one said, "We didn't say anything."

"Well who did?"

"Maybe one of the others saw something?"

They were completely oblivious to the Zora swimming alongside them. I even grabbed hold of the side of the boat, rocking it and making the three of them look into the water on either side to find out what had done it, still ignoring me.

"Probably one of those spike mines getting loose again," the front Gerudo muttered.

That didn't sound likely to me, but it also didn't seem nice. Spike mines? They put me in mind of something I'd seen back in the Water Temple, but they'd stayed on the ground even underwater. If they floated up here and got around they could be trouble.

I left them to wonder and explored the area underwater first. Most areas here were barred off and inaccessible. Someone had gone to a lot of work to make it Zora-proof down here. There were a handful of chest that added some more rupees to my wallet, then since there was nothing else of note I headed back up to the surface, heading for one of the small ledges that weren't occupied by a Gerudo.

Either I have some good luck in guessing that one was the right one first time or those coincidences showed up again, because up on top of there were several large barrels and a switch I was going to need to be a Goron for. A sign up on the wall nearby read 'Underwater access. Can only be opened by four Gerudos together.'

"They wish," I muttered, becoming a Goron, switching the switch, then changing back again and replacing the Stone mask. Then I just dived back into the water, had a quick look to find the entrance where the bars had helpfully been retracted and swam for it, just in case the switch was one that had a timer on it.


	34. Stolen Eggs

**A/N:** Yeah, I know I left this for a while, but now I'm back at work. Regular updates might take a while to get back to, but at least I'm back on it, eh?

Also for those complaining about Ikana - don't worry. We'll be going back there after the Great Bay Temple of course, and in much more detail too.

Now, why don't we let Silver carry on with his story?

* * *

Once through the newly opened entrance I swam down a long channel that terminated in a large metal grate. Ordinarily this would have ended my passage here, but it seemed at some point in the past something had broken through and the pirates had simply boarded up the way in. Since I was already swimming at a fair speed, I simply swam into them, shattering them into fragments as I shot through. Nothing, and I mean _nothing_ slows a streaking Zora much.

Beyond that, as if to further discourage anyone breaking in, a large block of granite plugged a second grate. On the other side of the grating was clear evidence this had been pushed into place with great effort, so using the rough surface to take hold I shoved it back away again and squeeze through the narrow gap, trying to avoid letting the damaged metal wires from scratching me. I did wonder what had broken the grating before, but quickly put that thought aside – you really don't want to get distracted when you're breaking into a place, a thought I'm sure Manic will understand.

After several more boarded up gaps and a chest with some more rupees in, I used a water flow to surface in a partially submerged corridor that had several more spike mines along it, each chained down and bobbing aimlessly in the water. They were easily evaded, as was a second current that I paused underneath, seeing that if I got caught in it I'd be washed back out into the lake outside. Beyond there was a door I listened at before going through. It wasn't really necessary given that I also had the Stone mask on, but some habits are hard to overcome, and my apparent invisibility was something I hadn't really got used to yet.

Another pool of water awaited on the other side of the door with more spike mines in. A tiny grate allowed water to flow back into the previous area, and a chest once again gave me more rupees.

"I'm starting to see what you mean," Tael remarked. "Heroing really does pay for itself, doesn't it?"

"Always has before," I shrugged. "Of course technically I'm stealing – these probably belong to the Gerudos, after all. But since all I have to do is play the Song of Time and they come back, I don't think it's all that immoral."

"You're a bad Zora, Silver," he accused. "What would the Goddess of Time think if She knew you were using Her song to justify stealing?"

"I'll ask Her if I ever see Her," I replied, unconcerned. "Anyway, I'm a Hero – I'm allowed to get away with looting and the like, else how would I ever do my job?"

Even he couldn't argue with that.

There was a cell here that looked like it hadn't seen use for some time and a large scattering of barrels around the area, most empty. At the top of a flight of stairs I caught a glimmer of reflected light and spotted a crystal switch, shoving aside several barrels to get a clear shot on it. Once hit it triggered another metal grate that groaned and squealed as it's long unused mechanisms haltingly pulled it up. I hoped no one would hear it as I dived down into the water below to go through, avoiding yet more spike mines and another current I didn't want to get caught in.

Once I reached shallower waters along this new route I came across a ladder, and since there was nothing stopping me I simply cheated and lifted myself up. It's quicker for one thing, and it isn't nearly so tiring.

Up here there was another crystal switch kept behind bars that were too narrow to shoot through and a floor switch. The floor switch caused the bars to retract, and the crystal made a grate in the floor produce a geyser that shot upwards. After a time each switch deactivated again and the geyser sank back down.

From below I could see more mines hanging from the ceiling and decided I wasn't going to take the chance, simply floating up again, and then further up past another ladder that showed me to what appeared to be a lookout point.

Through the barred window here I could see the heart of the Gerudo Fortress along with all their patrols. There were a number of places that a more mundane person would find it hard to reach, and due to long-standing habit I chose to overlook them for now.

The first route I could see would take me up a ladder in the middle and along a bridge to a door. Not a difficult route as they go, but I also spotted at least three Gerudos that would spot me – were it not for the Stone mask.

That appeared to be all this place was for, at first appearing to be a dead end until I turned around. Again something glinted behind a pair of spike mines aligned together, so with an absent wave of one hand – a bad habit I got into – I flung one into the next, not only causing them to explode but also triggering the crystal switch that had been concealed behind, which in turn opened a door I'd overlooked before, that looked as if it would take me outside into the area I'd just seen.

It did, though not directly. It first took me to a part of the lagoon I'd seen but been unable to reach, a path above the water's surface that went up and around a rock formation to another door that lead there. Again, the ever-useful Stone mask concealed me from the Guards who looked suspiciously at what to them must have been a door that apparently opened and closed itself.

It was actually unnerving, walking past guards I _knew_ had to be aware I was there, because if I stood right in front of one she walked around me – but otherwise completely ignored me. While I followed the route I'd planned out from the lookout point, I idly wondered if the bit of parchment the Hylian Gerudos had given me would cut any weight with them. It marked me as a Gerudo, but since Tael had never even heard of Hyrule I imagined these Gerudos were likely the same.

Behind the door I'd seen were a few narrow corridors, but what attracted my attention were the voices I could here. Another lookout window, this one overlooking an inside area below, provided the perfect vantage point.

Two Gerudos were down there, one wearing red as a contrast to the white I'd seen before.

"Did you find the rest of the eggs?" she demanded peremptorily of the one in white.

"N-no," the other stammered. "But that's because-"

"What are you trying to pull here?" she interrupted, her voice raising several octaves. "If people hear the great Pirates have lost the treasure they stole, we'll become a laughing stock!"

"What a shame," Tael murmured sardonically.

"Yes, but Aveil," the first started to protest. "The sea has turned strangely murky where the sea snakes attacked."

"Silence!" Aveil snapped, causing even me to wince slightly. Aveil had a very piercing voice. "That is exactly why the Zora's can't send for any help!" She calmed herself somewhat, then continued, "Now that the eggs are gone, the Zoras should be frantically searching for them, and if we don't hurry they'll get the last of them before we do!"

"Or I will," I muttered.

"You're inhabiting Mikau's body right now, you count as a Zora," Tael reminded me.

"We have four eggs here now," Aveil went on.

"Thank you very much," I said. "Now I know how much I have to do."

While I said that, Aveil continued, "You had better find me the other three before those sea snakes eat them!"

"And thank you again," I grinned. "I love the way our foes reveal exactly what I need to know. Seven eggs, four here and three out to sea."

"You'll have trouble with those three," Tael predicted.

"Of course I will, but I'll figure a way around it later."

Aveil made it clear she wanted those eggs a bit more and the Gerudo she'd been terrorising fled to try to get the other three eggs, leaving the room with just Aveil and a few other Gerudos. Although it wasn't necessary and it definitely wasn't nice, I shot down a beehive I'd spotted on the ceiling. The bees naturally completely misunderstood and dived for the Gerudos in the room, sending them screaming and scattering and the room deserted.

I made a brief search of the rest of this upper area but found nothing so made my way back down and through the door leading to where Aveil and company had until recently been standing around.

On my way in I spotted a large gold-bound chest that had been concealed from my view above, which naturally I looted for a curious looking golden device. It had a handle with a trigger and the other end was simply a point. Behind it I could see what appeared to be a length of coiled chain and a spring.

"Any ideas?" I asked Tael.

"You're the Hero, you tell me," he replied. "Just don't point that thing at me, 'kay?"

I aimed it at a barrel instead and pulled the trigger. With a jarring jolt and a clunk it fired, launching the point toward the barrel, the chain clinking rapidly out behind it. When it hit the barrel with a heavy sounding 'chunk!' there was another jolt and it started retracting again – dragging me along behind it! I was flung rather unceremoniously into the barrel I'd aimed for as the device automatically reset itself.

"Sometimes I think the Gods make these things just as a joke," I grumbled, getting up and rubbing at several newly sore spots. "Do you mind?" I demanded acidly of the merrily laughing fairy.

"Not at all," he replied. "But if that's a joke, it's a good one."

"You would think that," I muttered. "At least this thing should make it easier to do some things without attracting so much attention."

"Where's the fun in that?" Tael asked. "Come have a look at this tank."

The tank had also not been visible from the lookout point, filled with water and a Shellblade, a familiar enemy I'd met in the Water Temple. There was also a small round... thing in the water, glowing faintly. Mikau's memories told me this was one of the missing Zora eggs, and they also told me they had to be kept in water.

Rather than chance the Shellblade I simply sent a bottle in, filling it with water before adding the egg, then retrieving it. The Shellblade ignored the bottle entirely.

"If it's going to be that easy to get the other eggs, this is going to be a cakewalk," I remarked.

"Don't get overconfident, and remember you've still got to figure out those murky waters."

"I know, I'll get to that when I get there. One thing at a time."


	35. Looting the Pirates

There was only one other way out of the room I'd got the strange device from which took me back outside, just to a different area. Here there was a curious stone stack with a target on the top and a stairway leading back down to the Gerudo Guards, but little else.

Given my first experience with the device I wasn't entirely keen on using it again, but since there was a similar stone stack up on a nearby ledge and I figured I was going to have to get used to in case I had to use it without others around, I aimed it at the stack and fired. It caught on the target then with the typical jolt that always left my shoulder aching, dragged me up to it.

"Why am I even using this thing again?" I muttered, trying to massage my shoulder back to life. I was going to need it if I needed to use my sword at all.

"Because your other fairy friend is right and you rely on your mind too much?" Tael suggested. "You know what's puzzling me? You're the one wearing the Stone mask, but they're paying me no attention either."

"Probably just magic," I shrugged, wincing again.

This first area had very little, just yet another chest with rupees in. If these little gems were currency anywhere else, I'd be a millionaire by now. I stopped by a few more rupee-filled chests before making my way to a pair of passageways I'd deliberately overlooked before, one leading back out into the lagoon (again) and the other back into the fortress.

This appeared to be a storeroom with cannons, barrels and a single patrolling Gerudo who was tall enough to see over the lot. Since I had yet to take off the Stone Mask, even as one of the Zoras they'd stolen the eggs from the guard paid me no attention at all as I poked through their storage to see if there was anything interesting in there. Gunpowder, cannonballs, a few bombs and bolts – which I nicked a few of to replenish my own stocks somewhat – but really nothing worthwhile, so I took the next door – which barred behind me.

The room appeared to be empty except for two gilded braziers flanking a door opposite, but my mind told me otherwise – someone was here. And if that someone couldn't see me, I could be waiting here for a while, so I took off the Stone Mask and proceeded warily toward the other door.

Much like the Gerudo fortress in Hyrule, a Gerudo with two blades dropped down – wearing green, interestingly – and commanded me to halt.

"Really?" I sighed. "This is really very tiresome. Just wait right there a moment will you?"

The pirate seemed surprised by my casual dismissal of her appearance, and absolutely stunned when I took off the Zora Mask as well. She almost attacked when I reached for the pouch at my side until I made a point of partially drawing the Gilded sword.

"What are you up to, Silver?" Tael murmured in my ear.

"Just trust me," I muttered back, finding the bit of parchment I was looking for and glancing it over. "Looks to be in order to me," I said aloud, then held it out to her. It was of course the one proclaiming me to be of the Gerudo.

"You?" the pirate demanded incredulously. "You're not even human!"

"I know. The Gerudos who gave me that were a bit disappointed about it too as I recall. Now are you going to leave me alone and let me get on with things here?"

"You mean stealing our Zora eggs? Don't look so surprised – your mask doesn't fool me, and it wouldn't have fooled Aveil either."

"So you know what I'm doing. You probably won't believe me," I went on. "But several times now you've managed to keep them, and for all I know even retrieved the others too. And you'll likely keep them several more times too. I just need them this one time, and then I just have to do one thing and you'll have them back and none of this will have happened."

"Are you completely out of your mind Silver?" Tael burst out. "You're telling her about that?"

"I left some parts out, Tael," I protested. "Not that it matters I guess, but still."

The pirate looked from one of us to the other while we were talking, suddenly lunging for me. With an absent thought I sent her soaring up into the air, her battle cry turning into a shrill shriek.

"_Don't_ do that," I said disgustedly. "As long as you're enjoying the view up there, why don't you give some thought to what I've said? I can leave you up there as long as you need. A couple minutes, a few hours – even a day or two if you want."

"Let me down!"

"So you can try to carve into me again? No thank you. I'm sure someone will be along later to help you down," I told her, heading for the door. "Don't think about telling them about me or I'll take you outside and you can pay a visit to the moon."

"That door only opens from the other side – unless I unlock it," she predicted.

"Who said I was going to use it?" I replied, taking out Farore's Wind. I ordinarily wouldn't do this, not knowing what was on the other side, but I was playing to my audience – even if it was just her. Tael understood and flew closer to ensure he got caught be the effect, and I used the spell to transport us past the door, depositing us in a small room with another tank, in which was another Shellblade and another Zora egg.

"That was cruel," Tael accused me. "How long will she stay up there?"

"As long as I remember to devote some focus to holding her there," I shrugged. "Or until someone gets her down. I can put her down whenever I want really, I just don't particularly want her warning anyone until we've got the eggs, and a fight would have attracted attention."

"You think of everything, don't you Silver?"

"I try," I replied, sending another bottle in to collect the egg, and once I had it I restored both Zora and Stone masks. Another brief shriek from the door told me that for a moment as I'd changed form, my focus had been disrupted just enough to let her drop down a little.

The door here led directly back out into the open part of the fortress, and given the lack of activity it seemed that it might be a while before anyone found the one I'd left hanging around. Since I still had more eggs to collect, and more than I could carry in my few bottles, I took the opportunity to sneak back out of the fortress.

Mikau knew that the unusually warm water that had come in lately was not only bad for the local fish and, he suspected, Lulu's voice, but also for the baby Zoras in the eggs, and he also knew the best place to take them until the water cleaned up was the Marine Research Laboratory. Tingle's map told me where to go, and since I never pass up an opportunity to swim while a Zora, I did just that to reach the floating laboratory, leaving the first two eggs in a specially prepared tank. The scientist there didn't say anything, but that was likely because Mikau had already talked to him and he saw me as Mikau.

With that done I made my way back and broke in to the fortress again, getting back to the open area past the lagoon so I'd be able to take up where I left off, a brief searching thought telling me that the pirate had been let down. There is a finite reach to my mind after all. It's not just a point where it cuts off, the further away I go, the weaker my mind is, so the Pirate had just been gently let down as I'd gotten further away.

A few pirates were in different positions but it didn't seem like anything I needed to worry about just yet. There was only one door I hadn't gone to, up to the north of the fortress, and there weren't any guards there just yet.

This took me into a 'T' shaped room with a patrolling Gerudo, who I paid no attention to at first as I took the left route. I had however overlooked that I'd just come out of the water and was still dripping wet. The Stone mask did not conceal the trail of water drops following me.

"I know you're there!" she called out, looking around with her spear poised. "Show yourself!"

"You wish," I muttered. I'd have left her alone, but given the trail... instead I took out my sword and rapped the hilt of it on the back of her head, knocking her out.

This took me into a room where, waiting for me, was another Pirate that could easily see me and was wearing orange this time. Without even bothering to stop I made a repeat performance, though since the ceiling was lower here I moved her over to one side and again transported us through the door while she raged and shrieked curses after us.

"I wonder if she knows what some of those words mean?" Tael wondered, going slightly pale at a particularly graphic remark. I've had insults thrown at me before, so I just ignored her.

This again took me to a small room with a tank, though instead of a Shellblade there was a swarm of Skeletal fish accompanying a chest and the next egg. More rupees to go with it. I backtracked to the T-shaped area only to find the other way was a dead end, so headed outside and much to my surprise – I hadn't looked this way, after all – I found another door up on a higher level opposite.

A Hookshot target – as that was what I'd named the odd device – appeared to be the only means of reaching there, but since I didn't like the device I fell back on my mind instead. Another patrolling Gerudo watched the bridge here, though since I'd dried off a bit by now I didn't have to worry about a trail tipping her off and passed without incident.

This next room had three guard patrolling it around a large gold-bound chest, and was set on two levels. It was a near-exact replica of a room I'd seen in Hyrule's Gerudo Fortress, only back then I hadn't had the Stone mask, and the Gerudos had apparently let me think they hadn't notice me until it was convenient.

The chest had a silver Rupee worth a whole hundred by itself, and one of only a few I ever saw in Termina. They are understandably rare, so it's not surprising the Gerudos had taken special pains to watch over it. I wasn't too concerned though – like I'd told the earlier pirate, all it'd take was one Song of Time and they'd have it back again.

Yet another pirate not fooled by the Stone mask awaited beyond the next door, and like the last one she was definitely not happy about being so easily brushed aside. I had no intentions of fighting them given how loud a fight can get, and if I used Farore's Wind to pass the door without unlocking it, it'd give me a little time before anyone came running.

The last egg in the Gerudo fortress was once again accompanied by a Shellblade and was quickly retrieved before too many pirates came running. As a matter of convenience I put down the guard and used the spell again to rapidly make my way back out, ensuring that they had no chance of catching me. They might have been a match for Mikau, but I'm a whole new challenge in myself.

While at the laboratory this time I filled in the scientist on what I'd learned thus far, and he was able to save me some time and trouble for the remaining three.

"Yes, I saw what happened," he told me, his head bobbing almost hypnotically. "But you'll not be able to reach there on your own, Mikau, not with the murky waters around Pinnacle Rock, but if you had some frame of reference to keep your direction you'd be fine, it's either that or you find one of the golden seahorses that live around here to guide you as they know the way better than anyone."

Somehow, he managed all that in one long breath. It was almost as bad as the way his head just kept on bobbing around aimlessly, like one of those nodding dogs.

Of course, I couldn't tell him I already had exactly what I needed, because Mikau wasn't me. One of the benefits I've picked up from my mental powers – one I've mentioned before – is that I can sense magnetic north. Who needs a compass when you just know?


	36. Among the Zoras

Pinnacle Rock was actually a maw of six tooth-like rocks in a ring, and the Zoras all believed that in order to reach it you had to take a specific route from a pair of rocky pillars just out from the coastline a ways. There were a few Zoras here already, each searching for a rare golden-coloured Seahorse that would guide them. Many of them warned me about the dangers of swimming into the murky waters, and Mikau himself knew that if he had gone into them he'd only have gotten turned around. Not even a Zora has so good a sense of direction to stay straight without any reference points.

I paused on the rocky ground between the two pillars, sinking down to the bottom while I firmly fixed in my mind the natural magnetic compass of Termina itself. It would be my one and only guide. If I strayed off course, I'd notice the difference and be able to correct it. Once I was certain I was looking the right way I rose up a ways then swam for it.

Almost immediately the water clouded a dirty muddy-brown that obscured almost everything. I could barely see my own arms before me – little wonder then that no one had any idea which way to go. The Zoras were likely searching for that golden Seahorse because such a fish would surely glow, illuminating the way. Mikau's memories idly provided an interesting nugget that he'd once seen such a fish, and it had inspired the band to write a song about it. Zora songs have a tendency to revolve around the more aquatic things they come into contact with.

The waters cleared around Pinnacle Rock itself, allowing me to see that it was not simply a ring of rocks but a kind of marker within which the sea floor dropped down dramatically. Several cavernous openings were dotted around the walls further down.

As I swam further and further down into the depths I saw each of them had the vast head of some monster, some of which darted out to try to snap at me, revealing a snake-like body that lacked the tough looking scales of the head.

Naturally, it missed me. It writhed for a time as if trying to reach just a bit further to get me, then retreated back into the cave it had come from – revealing in the process one of the missing Zora eggs! Yet if I got close, that sea snake would attack.

I swam close enough to lure it back out, then turned sharply to avoid the head and swam for it's unprotected body, projecting the electric field around me to attack it. There was a water-muffled groan, then it snapped back into the cave. A repeat performance defeated it, allowing me to swim in and collect the egg.

There were several more caverns, and a brief survey told me they were all the same. It was hard to see at a glance which ones had the eggs in because less light filtered down here and also because it was starting to get late, so I was obliged to repeat my attacks on each of the snakes until I had two more eggs, and as I finished off the last one, an unexpected surprise – a Golden Seahorse.

"Did you come here by way of my husband?" it asked hopefully.

"I'm afraid not – I found my own way," I replied, fully capable of speech underwater. Zoras are good like that. "Is there something wrong?"

"He went to shore to help the Zoras, but hasn't come back yet. I'm afraid a fisherman might have caught him instead of your people. Can you go look? Please find him!"

"I'll see what I can do for you," I promised. "Should I bring him all the way back here, or just to the edge of Pinnacle Rock?"

"Either works, friend Zora. He'll be safer once there."

I wanted to get the Zora eggs back to safety, since this water wasn't exactly good for them, but this was kinda important too. On my way out I sent my mind back to check the mind of the Seahorse, then as I swam back toward the coastline I started searching ahead – and just as the Seahorse had feared, I found it on shore, right beside a distinctly human mind.

By this time night had fallen, which made things easier. When I got up onto the beach I ensured I was dry this time, went Hylian for the soft boots that made less sound on harder surfaces, then cautiously sneaked up on the fisherman's hut. I'm sure Manic would have had plenty to say about my style, but I'm not _completely_ inept.

Fortunately the night meant the fisherman was dozing, and since he didn't seem to have invented those odd things called 'front doors' I was able to sneak in on near-silent feet. The golden glow of the Seahorse in a small tank provided ample illumination.

I gestured for it to remain quiet, not that I really needed to I suppose, then using my mind to supplement my temporarily boyish human body, picked up the tank and carefully made my way back out. I didn't want even a slight splash of water to alert the fisherman to his prize being stolen.

Once outside I cheated and flew instead, much to the astonishment of the Seahorse. Rather than chance the Leevers on the beach I took us out to the laboratory, where I cautioned it not to be any more surprised, returned to my Zora form and slipped the tank Seahorse and all into the water.

I was going to dive in after it to let it know, but aside from looking gratefully at me for a moment it swam off almost immediately to be reunited. I did keep an eye on him until I was certain he was safe before I went inside to get the last eggs to safety.

"Hurry up, you have to get them all together now so they can hatch!" the scientist told me almost breathlessly.

"I know, I know," I grumbled, climbing up and dropping the last of them into the aquarium.

"Quickly, it'll begin any moment now, to the front of the aquarium," he said, already watching the eggs closely.

They twitched for a time, then in perfect unison the surfaces all broke, revealing the Zora tadpoles within. They held their tails behind them in such a way that they looked almost like notes on a musical score – oddly accurate, given what happened next.

They swam up from the bottom of the aquarium and aligned themselves against a series of bars running across the back of the tanks.

"Are you seeing this Mikau?" the scientist exclaimed. "Just look – what does this mean, what _can_ it mean... no, but they've only just been born, they couldn't have – yes! Mikau, do you understand? You must understand, the way these children have lined up..." he trailed off, running for a notebook.

I'd already made the connection myself. Zora children, as Mikau's memories once again told me, were born with some innate knowledge, and apparently also some musical inclination. They'd arranged themselves in the notes of a song, and any good musician knows what to do then.

The tadpoles bobbed in the water as I played the song, and more interestingly I somehow just... knew the additional following notes that continued it. I don't know whether it was Mikau, the Ocarina in the form of his guitar or just that I'm a Hero, but I knew those notes, causing the children to bob about excitedly afterwards. I also knew somehow that this was the song known as the New Wave Bossa Nova, or maybe I just came up with the name on the spot. Guitarists do that, you know.

Finally, I also knew that I had to take this song, go to Lulu and play it for her. These Zora children had come into the world through her – wait, did that mean I was technically a father, and not just her boyfriend? I wasn't entirely sure I liked the prospect. I had to talk to Lulu and make sure she understood, I decided.

This was all I could do here, and since the scientist was engrossed in his notes I doubt he even noticed my leaving. I left the Zora children with him because they needed the clean water in the aquarium, so outside I dived back into the water and headed north toward Zora Hall – accessible only from underwater, or by one of the very infrequent boat trips to the one single ledge that was outside and above water.

* * *

"Do we get to hear the song?" Manic asked. "Only from what I gather, you haven't been sharing them with us."

"He's got a point," Tails said. "You haven't played any of them, even the ones from Hyrule."

"What, you're ganging up on me to give you a private concert?" Silver teased. "I'll have to change form again though. Not that I don't like being a Goron, but the drums don't do most of the songs proper justice."

"Mikau again then?" Sonic suggested. "You said yourself you liked that one, and he _is_ the only one of your forms who's a natural musician."

Silver sighed. "I thought I'd managed to get away from all the fanboys when I left Termina. Alright, but I'm not going to make a habit of this. If you'll wait until I get one of the next songs, I'll give you a much better performance."

* * *

Zora Hall is naturally mostly underwater. It does, however, keep to certain concepts that seem more at home on the surface. The top of it has at some point in the past been carved into a fish-tail, and the various underwater entrances in all four cardinal directions similarly shaped to look like a giant fish's mouth.

Surrounding the entire thing, even these mouths, is a kind of mound of mossy rock that serves as a set of walls. Zoras habitually leap out of the water while swimming to soar over them and into the water on the other side, though there are four guarded gates for those who don't want to do that. The area inside these walls is completely safe, and as I passed through I spotted Zora children, older than the tadpoles I'd just seen, playing for all the world like any other children anywhere. Adults kept a watchful eye on them of course, but this was a kind of sanctuary for them.

I was and still am forever thankful of the fact that despite my appearance as Mikau, most Zoras are sensible and have no reason to mimic Tael's fanboy attitude. They got to see Mikau almost all the time when he wasn't playing at this or that venue for the other creatures of Termina, so the novelty of seeing him had sort of worn off a bit.

This is not to say I didn't get a few reactions – I had to pause several times to talk with those who heartily welcomed me back home and inquired about the world outside, how I was doing and such. There was a sense of great relief when I told them Lulu's Zora eggs were safe and had hatched, and a few even passed word ahead to see to it that several Zoras took up the task of guarding the laboratory to ensure the Gerudo Pirates didn't try to steal them again.

I eventually did make my way into Zora Hall itself, which like the Deku Palace concealed an entire underwater town, bustling with activity. There was again the local branches of the Post Office and Bank of Termina, though the former puzzled me. Paper would just go soggy underwater, so how did they work?

The houses of the Zora people appeared to have been carved out of the rock, rough holes smoothed over and filled in with panes of glass to serve as windows, or treated wood serving as doors. It seemed strange that they'd want such things underwater, but this was my first time seeing it all first hand. Old stuff to Mikau, but there's a considerable difference between knowing and seeing.

A part of Zora Hall was above water though, which was the place where the band regularly played for their people. There was just no way their music could be played underwater. A series of truly immense seashells formed the stage, with many others scattered around to serve as seating for those who weren't content to swim – or perhaps they were for when there was no more space in the water.

Just behind the seashell stage of course were the band's rooms. Evan, the songwriter, pianist and the nominal leader of the band, Lulu as the lead singer, Mikau the guitarist, Japas on the bass and Tijo the drums.

I knew them all of course, in my situation I could hardly not have. I still had the outsiders view of the band, but I also had the insider view at the same time. It was like the Zora town, familiar to me while at the same time being completely new. It was the first time I'd ever been in a band before, and in an odd way, the first time I'd felt I actually truly belonged here – even if it was thought someone else's life.


	37. Session with the Band

I found that the sense of belonging being Mikau gave me also left me torn. I knew that much like the other Zoras the band would be concerned not just about Mikau but also about Lulu and the well-being of her eggs. Being both a band-member and a proud Zora warrior, I felt I ought to at least pay them a visit to let them know what I'd done so far in Mikau's name, but I also had a Temple to visit and a song to play for Lulu.

While I tried to decide what I ought to do, I circulated among the other Zoras for a time, reassuring them, catching up on what I'd missed – or at least what they thought I'd missed. There were concerns that the band hadn't rehearsed their performance for the Carnival yet, and that the rest of the band had not left their rooms, except for Lulu who was outside and apparently not talking to anyone. The loss of her voice was the reason of course, but as the lead singer she couldn't let on about that.

It was in overhearing that I decided I had to do something about that first, so made my way along the paths that lead outside to where she stood looking out toward the storm-ridden Great Bay Temple.

"Just how do you know where you're going?" Tael asked me on the way. "I can't read any of these signs."

I glanced at one sign that pointed out the Zora shop one way and Zora Cape – where Lulu was – the other, without even thinking about it. It was only when I paused and glanced back I realized what Tael meant.

"They're written in the Zoran script," I told him. "I must be able to read it because of Mikau. And I guess his memories are lending a hand again," I added.

"You'll put me out of a job if you keep that up," he grumbled.

"Don't worry Tael," I laughed. "I still have some trouble with Hylian, remember."

Zora Cape was sheltered from most of the elements by the carved rock that formed the tail seen above the water's surface, and was covered in slippery moss and even the occasional seashell. Separated by a narrow channel was a small grassy island with two palm trees on top, and off to one side was none other than Lulu. Through Mikau, I understood why many Zora men envied the relations he had with her.

I don't think I ought to dwell on this any more. Thinking like a Zora came second nature to me while I wore that mask, and Mikau's thinking heavily influenced my own. We don't really need to go too deeply into that.

Lulu clearly recognised me, either unaware of the truth or unable to convey her knowledge of it without her voice. I decided I was going to have to postpone the talk I wanted to have with her for now.

Instead I simply put her concerns to rest. "The eggs are safe," I told her. "I got them all back. They hatched up at the Marine Laboratory. Some of the others have gone to see nothing else happens to them."

To say the least, her grateful smile definitely gave me a good warm feeling that wasn't entirely from having done a good deed.

"They arranged themselves in a series of notes," I went on. "A song they must have known. Puzzled the scientist there, but I knew what it meant."

Her expression clearly told me she knew too, and wanted to hear the melody the tadpoles had strung out for me to learn, so I got out the Ocarina, which obediently became Mikau's guitar. I played through the first part of the song, the part the tadpoles had given me, then as I continued it into the second part that had just come to me, Lulu lifted her face toward the nearby isle and raised her voice in accompaniment. Dear Gods that girl has a beautiful voice!

As our song concluded the water around the isle started to stir and bubble, eddies and currents appearing around it. Then without warning the water around it burst up, soaking everything – not that either of us really minded, though Tael muttered complaints – and then as the great sheet of water subsided it turned out the isle was in fact the giant shell of an immense turtle, already turning to face us.

It gave a tremendous yawn, then looked to Lulu and in a deep voice spoke to her. "It has been some time, has it not? You resemble your mother most closely, Lulu. Do not seem so surprised," it chuckled. "Though I slumbered beneath these waters, I still see all that happens in these waters. But we have no time to talk and reminisce," it sighed, now turning to me. "Proud Zoran warrior. The open seas of the Great Bay have need of your might. Climb upon my back and allow me to ferry you safely through the storm that you may cleanse the Temple."

"Wait," Lulu said, her voice clearly restored by the song I'd played. "We have to rehearse... can't you wait until after then?"

"There is no time, Lulu," the turtle repeated.

"Actually... that's not entirely true," I said. "I can arrange for time."

Lulu looked puzzled, but the turtle looked to me with interest. "You know I am aware of what you speak," it told me. "Is it not an unseemly way to make use of the gifts She has bestowed upon you? You could easily see to this task after your return."

"I don't know how long I'll be," I replied. "And in any case, I have to tell Lulu anyway."

"Tell me what?" she asked, seeming oddly calm.

"I'm not Mikau, Lulu. I know, I look like him, but I'm not. I found him a few days ago, dying on the beach north of here. He was in no shape to do anything, and had things he regretted not doing, so I played a magic song I have, the Song of Healing. It turned his spirit into a mask, and when I wear that mask, I become him."

"He speaks truth, Lulu," the turtle told her. "I have seen the events he speaks of. His name is Silver, and he is blessed by the Goddess of Time, gifted with the ability to travel it."

"But then the band..." she trailed off.

"I can fill in for him," I supplied. "I have his memories, his skills – as long as I wear his mask. And I'm certain I can arrange matters so that we can go inside now and rehearse, then once we're done I can come back to this moment – well, a few moments after we go inside actually, to be safe – and have used up effectively no time at all so I can go to the Temple."

"We'll need to talk about this afterwards, Silver," she told me. "We need to decide what we'll do from here – if you're going to take over for Mikau or something else."

"I know, Lulu," I said. "I thought of that before I even came here. I was going to suggest it to you actually, but you kinda stole that from me," I laughed. "You don't mind?" I asked the turtle then.

"Not at all, Silver. I knew you would do this. My query was more to aid your thoughts, not as a measure to prevent you. Go and enjoy yourself."

The old rascal was wise, I'll give him that much.

Lulu and I headed back into Zora Hall, where she headed off to her room to prepare and do all the things women always do before they feel they're presentable, so since I now had the time I stopped by the rest of the band.

I shared a room here with Tijo, the rotund drummer of the band, who casually remarked that he'd overheard the song I'd played just before, asking where I'd come up with it. Since he, like the rest of the band, knew about Lulu's eggs, I told him.

"Sounds about right," he nodded. "We knew those eggs were special. Got a good tune too. Sure I've heard it somewhere before though, can't think where."

"Lulu's mother used to sing it for her," I supplied – or rather the memories supplied – while leafing through the more recent entries in Mikau's diary. I wasn't sure why I was looking through them, or what for until I came across two entries that mentioned a couple of jamming sessions with Japas, the notes of which he'd written down.

He also noted that while they had thought it a good tune, they also thought Evan wouldn't like it if he found out they'd been writing songs without him. I didn't like that – it's not the way a band should work – so decided I'd do something about it.

I also noted that we hadn't yet told Tijo about this, so I filled him in on it then went next door to see Japas.

"Mikau!" he greeted me warmly. "Been a while since I saw ya last. Where've you been, man?"

"Where else?" I shrugged. "The eggs are safe now though, and Lulu's alright now. She's over in her room preparing for a rehearsal."

"About time, but we don't have a song. Apart from the one you and I came up with, you know?"

"We'll use that. I'll talk with Evan, but first can you come next door? We need to make sure Tijo knows the accompaniment."

"And Lulu? She's gotta know too." For all his easy-going attitude, Japas is smarter than he appears.

"I'll talk with her too. Maybe if we all go to Evan together we can make him see sense."

"You're optimistic today, Mikau," Japas laughed as we left.

Word already appeared to be about that we were up to something as the number of Zoras that were casually lounging around backstage had increased considerably, conveniently talking where they might overhear a session we were about to play.

Lulu understood immediately when I spoke with her, and even suggested to me how best to approach Evan. I did suggest inviting him to come join us, but she told me to wait until we had the rest of the song – he could hardly object when all it needed was his last input on it.

She also set to rest my own private concerns that since I wasn't Mikau I might not be able to perform as well as he could. Her approach was simple and effective – she simply told me to stop being silly and just do it. If Mikau had seen fit to aid me this far, he'd continue to do so for this.

It's the first time I've ever actually played an instrument in a band at all, but with Lulu's support and Mikau's continued aid it didn't feel like it. That one rehearsal was one of the key reasons I made a number of excuses not to leave once I'd finally done everything I was supposed to here.

We hammered out our various parts, practising, refining the song wherever necessary, and indulging the fans we knew were listening at the door. Tael, whom I had explained away as simply a new friend who'd helped me retrieve the eggs, kept out the way and didn't bother us – but I knew he was probably enjoying himself more than anyone else. He got to sit in on us playing, a position any other fan would have envied.

Once we were done, Lulu went back to her room to continue her preparations while Tijo and Japas went to see that the stage was ready for the real rehearsal that'd take place shortly, and I went to try and talk sense into the prideful Evan. Somehow he'd managed to avoid hearing our session, holed up in his room playing a tune on the pianos.

I joined him, leaning on the wall just behind one of the pillars, and waited for him to finish. I gathered he didn't like interruptions. He played for a time before he finally glanced up to me wordlessly.

"Feel up to a stage rehearsal?" I asked him simply.

"What with?" he snorted. "I don't have anything for you to play."

"Here," I said, handing him the parchment we'd written our finished result on. "We all came together to make this. We'd have involved you too," I said, greasing him a little. "But you were playing in here, and we didn't want to interrupt. We just need you to look over it and add your own input."

"You guys went behind my back to make this?" he asked indignantly.

"Oh, grow up, Evan," I told him. "I told you why we didn't involve you before. If you're going to shut yourself up in here this'll happen. You might be the band leader, but you've gotta involve yourself more." Then drawing on what Lulu had suggested I continued, "If one of us comes up with a song it has to go past the rest of us anyway, Evan. It doesn't really matter which one of us thought of it first – just that we're all playing from the same sheet."

Evan appeared to struggle with that for a time, eventually giving in and setting the sheet on a stand while he played each part, thinking it through and making only slight changes to accommodate his additions. Like the others, he and I also rehearsed it together until he was satisfied.

He still seemed a little ruffled about what we'd done, but he did keep it to himself after our discussion, so while other Zoras shifted Tijo's drums and Evan's pianos out on to the stage we made sure everyone else knew about the finished song, making last preparations.

And then, because there's only one thing to do when you've got a hall full of expectant Zoras waiting to hear even a stage rehearsal, we went out there and gave them what they wanted to hear. And _that_ performance was possibly the highest point of my entire trip to Termina.


	38. Water Puzzles

Once I'd finished up the session with the rest of the band I went up on top of the fish-tail outside where I knew no one would be looking or just would be, and there utilized the Inverted Double-song to head back to the moment Lulu and I had headed inside. Once I was certain the prior me was safely occupied I dropped back down to see the giant turtle.

"Alright, we're all sorted. I hop on, keep hold of one of those trees and we just go off to the Great Bay Temple. Did I miss anything?"

"Plenty, Silver," the turtle laughed. "But nothing that you need be concerned about. Let us leave now, and cleanse the Great Bay."

The turtle's vast size made him largely unaffected by any currents in the ocean, despite his slow movements giving him a considerable speed. Not even the powerful storm winds around the Temple could budge him from his course, though it took Tael and I much more effort to avoid being blown off his back.

Once inside the eye of the storm though everything grew dead calm. A vast opening lead into the Temple itself, unlike the other temples thus far seeming to be made more from metals than stone or other materials. Several pipes lined the area, carrying water or perhaps something else – but to what end? Unless they fed puzzles I'd face further in.

The turtle waited for me to disembark before he spoke again, "Gladly would I wait here to see you safely back, but I have little doubt you will emerge anything but victorious, Silver. The portals you are so used to seeing will see you safely back to shore, and there I will await you. Godspeed, Hero of Time."

Just how much did that turtle really know? I swear I hadn't told anyone except Tael about that.

Though I still held concerns, I brought out the one piece of Ghirahim I'd obtained thus far.

_"Well finally,"_ his dry voice came to us almost as soon as he was out of the pouch. _"Do you really have to carry around so much junk? Or keep me in the same place as those two?"_

"Stop complaining and make yourself useful," I told him bluntly.

_"Yes, oh mighty Hero."_ You could almost hear the sneer in his voice. _"Does your so-mighty mind tell you if there are any other Demons here – besides the demon Gyorg whom you will face, and were it not for my reliance on you, I would hope defeats you?"_

"You're just filled with charm today, aren't you?" Tael observed sardonically, while I briefly searched the minds of the Temple's inhabitants. There was less monster life than I'd expected, but only the presence of one Demon – something I relayed to Ghirahim.

_"Inconvenient. Perhaps I am the only part of the shattered parts that retains any sentience. Get out something with fire, Hero. There's a Fairy Fragment here."_

"Stray Fairy," I corrected again without thinking. I imagine I looked a little ridiculous, wearing the Great Fairy's mask over Mikau's features, but I wasn't worried about that. Ghirahim's advice had been lacking in detail, but he didn't really need to provide any. Four unlit braziers suggested _something_ would happen, he just told me what. Sure enough a lick of flame ignited them and deposited the first chest of the Temple and with it the first of the fifteen Stray Fairies I'd find here.

Like the Woodfall and Snowhead Temples there was a curious grey design in the floor, but since it hadn't done anything in either of the previous Temples I ignored it and headed through the one door available to me.

The first room of the Temple was partly filled with – what else? - water, a network of pipes and devices that straddled them snaking over the room like some metallic octopus. In the centre was a vast waterwheel being driven by an artificial geyser, fed water by the pipes.

Many of the pipes were painted to identify them, and at some point something had been done to them to allow one to actually see the flow of water in them. I swam about the room for a time examining the mechanisms until I spotted a giant yellow valve that appeared to be inactive, water flowing into it on one side but nothing emerging on the other side.

Despite the best urges of my mind I couldn't shift the large lever on top to open the valve, and even relying on the strength of my form I struggled. Mikau was strong, but this valve must have been exceptionally stiff. I eventually had to resort to the Golden Gauntlets to get it to move at any appreciable speed, and even then it squealed in protest the whole time.

This caused a second geyser to splash upward, though there appeared little point to it just yet. Perhaps I'd need them in time, perhaps not. A second glance through the room revealed that where I'd come in was not solid, and underneath it was a Stray Fairy in a bubble, retrieved easily. As the mask's hair still shimmered I knew this was not the last of them, and a quick mental scan told me that where I saw a Skulltula was another one.

Experimentally I fired the Hookshot at it, seeing if it would be an effective weapon – if nothing else because the Zoran form was not really suited to the use of a crossbow, while the Hookshot was. One blow defeated the Skulltula, which in turn vanished and somehow became the third Stray Fairy.

The platform it was above was, for the mundane, reached by a platform that raised and lowered, and it had a partner opposite. Since the mask brought the fairy to me I left it at that and headed up on my own power to the higher ledge, defeating another Skulltula in the process.

From here it was more obvious what the geysers were for – they were platforms, of a sort. The upward pressure of the water turned them into something that could, if careful, be used as a kind of stepping stone. Not that I actually used them as such.

Passing that took me to a passageway opposite where I'd come in, on one side the yellow pipe with water flowing through it, the other a red one that was inactive, and both leading to – or from – the area ahead.

Here there was an even vaster set of waterwheels, moving slowly. The lower wheel looked like it was being turned by the rapidly flowing currents beneath that turned like a whirlpool, while notches in it acted as a gear for a second one above, the purpose of which unclear for now.

_"Fairy Fragment at the bottom of that pit of water,"_ Ghirahim told me. _"You'll either want to shoot a bolt at it or go down there yourself."_

I elected for the former. The crossbow might not have been ideal, but it was usable in a pinch.

"There's another one in the barrel up here," Tael added as we watched the Stray Fairy make its way up to us. I shattered that barrel against the wall to retrieve it.

The other fairy had yet to reach us, so for the moment I paused to look down into the water below. There were several openings in the sides, all of which with more pipes going into them – only this time the pairs were red and green, and again the red did not flow. It didn't look like the green ones were either. Beside some openings there were tiles that appeared to point to them, and among those thus marked, the topmost one was closest.

Almost as soon as I dived into the water below I found that not even a Zora could swim against the currents flowing beneath. I had to swim with it, and as they circled around that wasn't easy. I had to veer off quickly several times or end up hitting the wall because I misjudged my aim. I even tried helping my aim by pushing with my mind, but the currents were just too much – and it wasn't easy to swim and maintain my focus at the same time.

When I eventually did swim down that passage I found the currents continued here, washing me out into the chamber at the end without leaving me the opportunity to go back. Short of Farore's Wind, once I followed such a current I was stuck with it.

Several skeletal Skullfish attempted to attack me, but a brief pulse of the electric barrier defeated them. Once I'd decided the underwater part of this place held nothing of interest I surfaced, catching on to a ledge while I surveyed the area above. A large gold-bound chest was on a raised ledge, reached with a few thoughts to give me the Dungeon Map.

Tael again directed me to a pot on another ledge to retrieve another Stray Fairy, causing Ghirahim to mutter something in the demon tongue, then also added, _"Go where those Dexihands are underwater. You can get rid of them with that barrier of yours."_ There was a pause, then, _"Didn't think those things would still be around actually. They weren't really very useful originally."_

"You created them?" I asked, sinking down to put me on level with the route he'd mentioned.

_"No, but I vaguely recall the Demon that did. Had some stupid idea that they'd make a pain of themselves, but every time an adventurer encountered them they were immediately wary enough of them to handle them from afar. Only a few ever grabbed hold of someone, and even then since they're too thin and weak to do much all they can do is hold on and try to throw you around a bit. They're pathetically useless, and I'm frankly astonished the demon even wanted to be associated with their creation."_

"Fascinating insight," I noted, zapping the Dexihands as I swam through.

At the end of the winding channel Ghirahim directed me along was... well, a continuation of the channel, but here at least there was a surface to the water rather than just the top of the channel. Here however there were several large lily pads ahead of me, but more interestingly there were what appeared to be Deku Babas hanging upside-down in the water, focused on me.

"Bio-Deku Babas," Tael said. "They're the only ones who can live in water. You probably knew that though."

"No, actually I never spotted any of these in Hyrule," I replied. "Of course that doesn't mean much, they could have been in some part I didn't go to."

They were easily dispatched however. The Hookshot stunned them, and a single punch defeated them, leaving me with several soggy Deku Sticks. There appeared to be nothing more here besides a door at the end, but the Great Fairy's mask still had shimmering hair so I continued to look about until I turned to face the way I'd came, where I saw above the channel a platform with another Bio-Deku Baba hanging down from the one above, behaving no different because it was out of water. It too fell just as easily, revealing a chest and another Stray Fairy.

The next room was, quite naturally, partly filled with water and with a T shaped set of walkways leading away from the door. Visible right away was another large gold-bound chest with a Real Bombchu wandering around beside it, and in the water on either side of me more Dexihands. The paths I was on were solid, separating this water from the area ahead of me, though the walkway from the door had nothing beneath it. The Dexihands occupied this single channel that lead in both directions.

Two Bio-Deku Babas hovered underneath two more lilly pads, though I ignored them for now. They couldn't reach out of the water, so posed no threat unless I needed to go into the water.

_"Here,"_ Ghirahim said. _"I detect a part of myself in this room."_

"I wonder where it could be," I muttered, ignoring the lilly pads and just heading straight for the chest. I threw the Real Bombchu away so it wouldn't explode on me, though amusingly it hit the far wall where I'd come in, exploded and destroyed one of the Dexihands for me.

Sure enough, just like Snowhead, the chest contained the paper compass that completed the map, unveiling my position along with all the chests here, and also the piece of Ghirahim – a part of the blade itself. It lacked the tip of the blade, meaning there was another part yet to find. The ends of it were jagged and rough, as if it had been snapped away, but when – with considerable reluctance – I put the matching end on to the piece of Ghirahim I already had, the seam vanished with a black flash, becoming all one piece again.

_"Excellent work Hero,"_ he sighed with relief, his voice stronger already. _"I may yet choose to let you live as repayment for this – once you have dealt with the Demon Majora."_

"You're too kind," I murmured. "You do know of course if you cause trouble I'll have to stop you though."

_"Naturally. I expect nothing less of Link's Chosen."_

"Link? Ghirahim, _I_ am Link. Or I was, anyway. I got told I had to use the name when I met the next one to be Hero."

Ghirahim burst out laughing, the blade in my hand shaking slightly with it. When if eventually subsided he said, _"So typical of a Hero. No one ever explains anything to your ilk, do they? You always have to find out for yourself. I imagine you'll find out what I mean in time. _I'm_ certainly not going to spoil it for you."_

* * *

"Did you ever find out what he meant by that?" Tails asked with clear interest.

"No, and that bothers me," Silver frowned. "I stopped by Hyrule before I came back here and did some research in all the libraries they'd let me into, but turned up nothing. I thought the name was just something Zelda told me to use because we didn't want you to find out who I was, but I guess there's more to it than that."

"Maybe we should stop by Tails' Hyrule once you finish up," Knuckles said. "I'll probably be able to get better information on that Demon there, and anything he might have done. You can do the same thing."

"And I'll get to see everyone again," Tails added. "I did kinda promise Colin I'd try to get back again."

"I know, I know," Silver sighed. "I might as well hang a sign around my neck that says 'Taxi to Hyrule'," he grumbled.


	39. Wart-er

**A/N:** I apologise for the dreadful pun with the chapter title.

I'm also aware there's a few minor differences in the rooms before the fight with Wart - once you see what happens afterwards, you should understand why I made them.

Read on.

* * *

With the Compass addition and the second piece of Ghirahim collected I made use of the map to get an idea of the Temple's layout, along with anything I might have missed. It looked like I'd been doing a fairly thorough job so far, so as the map indicated a chest with a key-marking in the water below, I made that the next target.

This of course meant going into the water and within the reach of the two Bio-Deku Babas I'd seen, but these were hardly obstacles. A Dexihand tried to grab me and got taught a swift lesson, leaving this pool free of enemies and the chest looted of the small silver key within.

A Stray Fairy was hiding in a pot in the narrow channel of water to avoid a pair of Dexihands and the strong current washing everything else away. The pot was barely managing to hold against the current, so before the Dexihands got it I sent one Zora fin out to destroy them and the other to shatter the pot, relying on the Great Fairy's mask to retrieve it before I dived into the current and followed it.

This took me back to the fast flowing waters of the central room. My choices of where to go had been cut by two at least, and it looked at a glance like the next passageway that went with the currents was down at the bottom, and unlike the others it only had a single red pipe.

As the pipe looked like the water was supposed to be flowing from here, I ignored the various enemies, including several Octoroks, and followed the pipe instead, leaping out of the water to land on the slippery pipe – just.

It went into a platform where a second red pipe also terminated, and since no other pipes emerged from it I unlocked the door on the platform. I could have dealt with the monsters here, but there really wasn't any point – I've noticed too many times they have an annoying habit of coming back – somehow.

This gave me a small room with several pots and a couple of ChuChus, some red and green but also one I'd not seen before, a yellow one. Defeating the red and green ones left me with a small gelatinous blob that, as Tails knows, have healing properties. Yellow ones on the other hand left behind a few crossbow bolts. The logic of these places never fails to baffle me.

I had a sneak suspicion I knew what was coming next. A room with enemies that allowed me to restock? Either whoever designed the place was suspiciously generous, or there was the dungeon's mini-boss on the other side of the door.

The room appeared at first to be empty but for a few pots in the corners, but I'd checked ahead with my mind suspecting something and knew that on the ceiling was a Gohma impersonator. Like the parasitic Queen in the Great Deku Tree, this creature apparently did not like being looked at.

_"Wart,"_ Ghirahim identified it calmly as the... thing crashed to the ground. It resembled nothing more than a great green ball of scales with a massive eye on it, and it was surrounded by a mass of pink bubbles. Or Shaboms, as Navi persistently insisted. _"You'll want to remove that sheathing of bubbles if you want to harm it. I imagine I don't need to tell you how to do that."_

"I'm not stupid, Ghirahim," I replied. "Since I have to lug you around, you can be useful," I added, swinging his blade for Wart as he closed in. He'd... well, rolled over the floor, apparently using the bubbles like a tread to get around.

Damaged as it still was, his blade easily sliced through the closest ones, destroying them almost on contact and spraying a fine wet mist over everything. Remaining in the Zora form, this was barely even noticeable.

Wart towered over me though even without the bubbles, and I didn't want to find out what would happen if he caught me so I hastily retreated to safety, and then while he was still slowly lumbering for me I used the Hookshot to start dragging the bubbles toward me and a slash from Ghirahim destroyed them.

This was slow work however, and Wart continually moved the remaining ones into position to cover his eye. I needed another alternative, and what occurred to me wasn't going to work so well in this form. I ensured I was clear enough to have time, then removed the mask to restore my own form, switching Ghirahim for the Gilded Sword, then used my mind to swiftly dart around and about Wart, slashing the bubbles without even bothering to detach them from him.

With his slow progress he spent more time trying to turn to face me than he did actually moving anywhere and steadily the supply of bubbles started to dwindle, leaving him more and more open to attack. Whenever his eye was open I quickly changed course to stab at it, which he _really_ didn't like.

Once the bubbles were all gone I picked up the sense of something else at work and Wart, now enraged and apparently without his means of getting around, rolled slightly – then steadied, turned to glare at me, and with a strong mental thrust he shot forward for me.

_"The Demon is empowering it,"_ Ghirahim told me as I leapt clear, splashing into the narrow water. _"Nothing mundane will harm it now. You must use me."_

"Don't bet on it, Demon," I muttered, turning back to Wart, who was temporarily stunned after impacting the wall. I switched for the crossbow and added the gem for Fire bolts, loaded it then checked on Wart again. He was about to charge again.

I set myself, bracing my mind for the shocking impact I was about to give it even as I took aim. Wart bore down on me again and I responded by directing the full weight of my mind back at him. The Demonically empowered Wart impacted hard enough that I was almost shoved physically back form the sheer force, but Wart still approached, his eye closed. I pushed back at it, causing him to slow, and to his clear surprise not just stop but start to be pushed back instead.

I caught the sense of the Demon's mind behind this, which snapped a few words. The opposing force grew considerably, starting to push me back again. I'd left the Golden Gauntlets on, loose as they were on my normal hands. I rerouted my efforts through the gold in them, amplifying my own power to push back again, and Wart again stopped, caught between the two opposing forces.

Then he made a mistake – a fatal one, as it turned out. Perhaps wondering curiously why he hadn't hit a wall again, he opened his eye and stared, originally at me but I squeezed the trigger on the crossbow as soon as the scaly eyelids had started to move, and he refocused on the blazing bolt shooting for his eye.

Wart flinched back when it hit, blinking rapidly. The force on my mind vanished and I stumbled slightly from the sudden lack of resistance. Then Wart exploded, spraying green bits about the room I didn't want to think about.

From deeper in the Temple there came a furious howl of frustration.

_"How childish,"_ Ghirahim observed. _"Majora really never did grow up. Little wonder my Master never gave him an important task."_

"Majora is here?" I asked. "I thought you said-"

_"Yes, my dull-witted Hero, Gyorg is the Demon you will face here,"_ he said in exasperation. _"But did you not pay attention to what Goht and Odolwa told you? Majora corrupts them, and though Majora himself is not here, his corruption allows him to influence events through them. He is the one who empowered Wart, but his capabilities were limited because he had to go through Gyorg to reach. Do not think you will find the true reality of Majora so easily overwhelmed by a touch of gold."_

While we'd been talking another chest had appeared, inside which were not one but two gemstones, and both were blue. One was smaller and resembled the crossbow attachment that would give me Fire bolts, no doubt making this the one for Ice bolts.

The other looked more like Din's Fire, a frosty cyan core encased in a crystal. I gave it an experimental burst of magic the same way I did Din's Fire, and it blasted out a cloud of frigid air that froze the shallow water where the two collided.

"Maybe he won't be," I said. "But if I keep finding useful tools like these, I'll at least be able to slow him down to the point I can take him on. Don't think for a moment I'm not capable of defeating a few Demons, Ghirahim."

_"So typical of the Hero,"_ he replied, but said nothing more.

Since there was no other exit to this area I headed back out, passing through the restocking room and back into the room before. Now that Wart had been defeated a large central pillar had appeared along with a new red pipe branch that led to the other two. It was also surrounded by a freshly made waterfall, the downward force of which would prevent me from accessing it.

I'd encountered a similar puzzle in the Water Temple. It wasn't hard to handle as such. I simply shot an Ice bolt at the top of the ceiling, causing the water to freeze over part of the bolts there and create a gap in the curtain of water.

There I had to change back to the Zora form because though I could use the amplifying effects of the Golden Gauntlets in any form, to get the strength boost they offered I had to use Mikau's form as it was the only one they fit. I needed them because there was another valve switch here as there had been right near the start, and like that one it too groaned and screeched as I forced it to allow water to pass.

This caused the red pipes to gurgle was water rushed into the empty pipes, but here in this room at least appeared to do nothing else. I was going to have to find out where this pipe took the water to find out what it had done, and that meant once again taking the route back to the central room, taking a channel filled with the currents that told me I was going to be drawn back into there no matter which way I tried to swim.

I followed the red pipes back down the channel I'd first gone down, where I saw they went into a room beyond a door I'd ignored back then, but the red pipe emerging from there remained empty. Naturally, that made this door my next destination.

This room housed another valve that was, quite naturally, turned to prevent the water through. Some of the water had leaked, and some of that had turned into Blue ChuChus, which are just magically animated water when you get right down to it. Again I forced the switch into submission and the water continued to slosh down the red pipes.

Again I followed the newly flowing pipes, taking me back to the room I'd picked up the Compass, where they now continued on back to the central room. Before I carried on following them, Tael stopped me.

"Hey, Silver," he said. "How come you never explored down that way?"

I glanced over to where he was directing me – a corridor that would be difficult to reach for most, curiously littered with icy stalagmites.

"I must have got distracted by Ghirahim or something," I confessed, glancing at the map. "We should have gone there anyway – there's a marking on that room that suggests it's where we get the Boss Key, and that probably means we've got a second mini-boss fight."

"Probably? You're not sure?"

"Only one way to find out for certain, Tael," I shrugged, and made my way for that area. Snowhead had only had one mini-boss, but Woodfall and this Great Bay temples both had two. I rather hoped that the Temple over in Ikana followed Snowhead's lead instead.


	40. Pipe Dreams

The room beyond the icy stalagmites was large, but also relatively bare. The metal walls and floors were touched in places by an unnatural frost that seemed to have no definable source – it was not cold in here, after all.

Waiting for me in the middle of the room was a large frog, reminiscent of the one I'd seen way back in Woodfall Temple, but with different colours. Unlike that one, there were no Deku flowers, no shallow waters and no Snappers. Instead, glooping down from the ceiling – I'm sorry, that's the only word for it – was a large yellowish glob of jelly, like that of a ChuChu but with none of the defining features of them as such.

_"Some fool perished here,"_ Ghirahim told us while the frog and I stared at each other, each waiting to see what the other would do. _"The frost is the last remnants of their battle with this creature. It feels similar to the magic you wield, but also different."_

"Well that's encouraging," I muttered.

"Useful though," Tael added. "What if whoever it was figured out ice was the answer?"

I gave the frog a long stare, thinking this over as I planned ahead. That jelly glob was probably involved somehow, and more than likely it was related to the ice too. Ice meant one of my two new acquisitions, and while the ice spell would undoubtedly work just as well as an Ice-infused bolt, that still left me with the issue of catching the frog. If it was anything like that last one, it wouldn't make itself easy to reach.

Just as I was about to attack the frog made the first move, making an odd cry that caused the jelly to glomp down and split into many smaller spheres, blocking my way. It kept itself behind them, watching me through them.

An absent thought brushed away the nearest spheres to give me some measure of safety then, rather than revert to my own form, I changed instead to the youthful Hylian form instead. Almost as soon as I'd finished changing I found the globs had started to come for me again so in one swift movement I drew the Gilded Sword and made a broad swipe. They bounced away from the sword unharmed, their surfaces rippling slightly from the impact, but it pushed them away again.

Now I trusted that the pouch would keep up its habit of always having exactly what I wanted right at hand. When I'd put the crossbow into it I'd left the Ice gem still attached, which was essential to my plan. For now though, I made use of the youthful energy of my Hylian form and darted quickly between the spheres, pursuing the frog. It gave a furious cry and fled through them itself, but it was hampered by having to hop around.

I swiped at several other spheres that got too close in my pursuit of him, finally cornering him and delivering an overhand blow that left him vulnerable. I'd have taken advantage of it there and then but the spheres were massing, and I had to hold them off.

He made use of that, recovering quickly and hopping inside the nearest one with another cry. Now the spheres gathered back together again, glooping back up to the ceiling as one massive glob with the frog inside it.

At it's imperious gesture the glob started moving along the ceiling toward me. Rather than wait to find out what it had in mind – likely trying to fall on me – I took hold of my sword with my mind, reached into the pouch and took out the crossbow. The pouch had, I noted, already loaded it for me. I loosed a bolt at the slow-moving glob, aiming for the frog itself, and the entire thing froze in place. With a peculiar sense of foresight I suspected I knew what was about to happen, quickly stowing the crossbow away again and getting my shield in place, utilizing Nayru's Love to increase it's area of effect.

Sure enough, the massive frozen ice dropped to the floor, shattering into innumerable shards. The spheres immediately re-formed from them, though there were definitely less of them than there were before.

Again I pursued the frog through them, made easier by the fewer numbers this time, and again when I finally caught him the spheres ensured I could not take advantage of his vulnerability unless I wanted to find out what would happen when they caught me. They gathered once more, and another Ice bolt shattered them on the floor.

I repeated this one more time, and after that there were so few spheres left of such a small size that they were of no consequence at all. The frog made a desperate attempt to flee again, but as the two doors in the room were barred it had no escape. I'll grant I felt pity for it, but I was just doing my job.

Defeating it unbarred one of the two doors – the one I hadn't come in by – caused the remaining spheres to dissolve into water and like it's Woodfall friend, caused the large frog to turn back into a normal one.

Predictably, the unbarred door led into a previously inaccessible part of the previous room, where there was the large gold chest bearing the Boss Key. Now I had everything I was going to need, I just had to finish up with the last of the water puzzles to open the way to the Temple Boss, the Demon Gyorg – and potentially also Majora's own influence on it.

That in turn meant following the red pipes, but I decided to take a short-cut. I knew where they led, and it wouldn't be too hard to backtrack if I needed, so instead of following them, I instead took out Farore's Wind and whisked us back to the room immediately after the entrance where the Turtle had left me.

_"I wish you wouldn't do that,"_ Ghirahim grumbled. _"I feel nauseous every time."_

"What a shame," I said insincerely. "I'll be as considerate of your feelings as you'd be of mine."

_"Some hope that leaves me,"_ he snorted.

Tael chuckled at this. "I don't have a problem with it," he told the sword.

_"You're a fairy, you're naturally magic,"_ he said sourly. _"Are you going to get on with it Hero, or am I going to have to see how much more I can do now you've restored me some more?"_

"Don't be so impatient," I rebuked him.

Back here I followed the red pipes some more, watching the water flow back underwater, through another device making artificial geysers and up into a switch that was deactivated. I found that oddly enough, I was actually reluctant to set aside my Hylian form – technically I _had_ been bound to it for all of my adventures in Hyrule, so I had become somewhat attached to it. That being said, I'd also picked up a liking for Mikau's form – I love to swim the way the Zora's do, it's just so effortless.

At any rate I changed back to a Zora and used the Golden Gauntlets once again to force the resisting valve into the open position, allowing the water to flow through again. This caused the geyser nearby to stop working as the water no longer built up there, instead leaving just a feeble trickle of water washing down its sides. Over by the waterwheel in the middle of the room a new geyser fed by the red pipes fired up, it's water shoving against the waterwheel in direct opposition to the yellow-pipe geyser. The waterwheel slowed, faltered, then stopped entirely.

"Interesting, but I don't see the point," Tael remarked.

"I'm guessing I've got to turn off the flow to those yellow pipes," I replied. "Making the waterwheel turn the other way. Don't ask me what that will do yet. I'm not Tails."

"Who?"

_"The Hero who'll come after him, and a mechanic to boot,"_ Ghirahim supplied. _"Close your mouth Hero, and stop looking so surprised. Demons have sources of information you people don't."_

"You and I are going to talk about this sometime," I told him ominously, turning to trace the yellow pipes instead now. Fortunately I didn't have to go far for this one, as the valve for it was right here in the same room.

Deactivating that was almost the reverse of the last red switch. The geyser stopped spewing at the waterwheel, which sluggishly began to turn back the other way, and instead reappeared further back at a separate geyser unit before the now closed valve. I wondered idly where the water came from and what gave it enough pressure to cause these geysers, but fortunately discovering such things is not part of my job – usually.

Going back to the room with the larger waterwheels and the faster moving currents, I saw the immediate effects of what I'd done – along with having to revise a prior theory about what was going on here. The currents below were _not_ causing the movements of the waterwheels, the waterwheels were causing them, and so of course in reversing the first waterwheel, those here had also reversed – and now the currents below were turning the other way. This in turn allowed me to follow the empty green pipes, which would ultimately lead to reaching Gyorg.

The source of them appeared to be the room immediately opposite, the access of which was hidden behind a waterfall. I sent a lick of ice from the newly acquired spell up to freeze over the source of it, allowing me through into yet another partly-water filled room.

An old friend, the Blue Tektite awaited me here, but was hardly an issue. I noted the grating above that had holes in, perhaps leading to more than was immediately apparent. Before I headed for the first green valve opposite, Ghirahim made himself useful and told me there was a concealed Stray Fairy somewhere in the room, and since the map told me there was a chest here that was also currently unseen, I suspected a connection.

Rather than use targets that were clearly meant for the Hookshot, I fell back on my mind again. I didn't particularly like the shoulder-wrenching Hookshot much. Either way I got up above the grating and saw, resting on a piece of metal, the missing chest and the ninth Stray Fairy within.

With only six of them left and little else to do, I dropped back down and pushed the switch, surprised that this green one moved more readily than most others – as if it had been used recently.

I followed these pipes, diving down into the swiftly moving currents below and taking the upper passageway they led into – which had been one of the ones that before I used to get back here. Evidently reversing the currents here also changed the flow elsewhere.

This channel took me through the room in which I obtained the compass, but I stayed in the channel and followed it to the end, quickly avoiding some sneakily placed spike mines and surfacing to avoid the bother of some Skullfish. Having recently glanced at the map I had a fair idea of where I was, and I knew there was a chest here. The sense of a Stray Fairy helped guide me to a chest in an alcove above the water's surface, netting me the tenth Stray Fairy. A few more moments got me back out and up to the ledge above.

Here, were I a more mundane Hero, I would have shot a nearby waterfall with another Ice bolt to cause the waterwheel it was driving to stop, which in turn would stop a pair of paddles directly ahead of me that could be used as platforms, leading me to an otherwise inaccessible passageway opposite. Since I'm not mundane and I'm not above cheating a little, I simply floated on over.

_"Whoever designed this place is probably screaming in frustration at you, you know,"_ Ghirahim told me. _"They went to all the trouble of making these puzzles for you, and you largely ignore them."_

"Yes," I agreed. "I know. Isn't it fun?"

_"Well, before you leave. There's another alcove hidden behind the main waterwheel. There's another Fairy Fragment there."_

"Nice to see you still know how to be helpful."

Ghirahim muttered something in the Demon tongue that I suspect was a remark about regretting helping me.

Once I'd collected the eleventh Stray Fairy I headed for the door and into the next room, where there were several partly submerged sets of scales – along with a few ChuChus that I ignored. Both the Great Fairy's mask and Ghirahim agreed that there were Stray Fairies here too, though he at least was able to tell me there were actually two.

One was found in a barrel that was sneakily concealed in a short passage underneath the nearest scales. From there I _could_ have used Fire Arrows to melt some ice in the ceiling to weigh down the opposing sides of the scales here, allowing me access, but do I really need to tell you what I did instead?

This lead me to the next green switch, which again was suspiciously easy to move. From there I headed down into a caged off area on one side of the room where a chest contained the thirteenth Stray Fairy.

The green pipes now led through a door that led to different part of the room I'd gotten the map from, and from there back to the central room. This time I took the lower-most passageway, which had only a green pipe flowing into it.

When I exited that channel it was into a room with curious metal posts interspersed throughout, but apparently little else. The Great Fairies mask again told me there was one nearby, which I found in a bubble in the channel leading back out to the main room again. I swam through the bubble to pop it and collect it, then swam back down the other channel to get back again.

The last one was in a bubble above the waterline, where several of the metal posts adjoined. Rather than play whatever puzzle game the designer had come up with, I simply floated up to collect it instead.

Now I just followed the pipes one more time to reach the third green valve, which moved so easily that I started to wonder if someone hadn't tampered with the others to make them deliberately hard to move.

This caused the green pipe water to create a new artificial geyser that I could probably have used as a platform to reach the boss door, but you know me – I can't be having with that. So naturally I ignored it, floated over to it and headed on to face the Demon Gyorg.


	41. The Good Demon

Beyond the imposing Boss door was an oddly small chamber. A few pots lay in the corners, each supplying me with bolts, but the main feature was a large hole in the floor. Last time I'd been in a place like this had been just before I faced the immense King Dodongo, who hadn't appreciated certain remarks Navi and I had made about him. Given the possible presence of Majora, I didn't think it'd be a good idea to do the same for Gyorg.

Glancing over the edge told me there was a small platform below surrounded by water that stretched out of sight, and that if I simply dropped down I'd have to employ my mind or the landing wouldn't do me much good. Which goes without saying, but it gives you an idea of just how deep that drop was.

I floated down warily, keeping my mind watching the area even as I cast about myself. The room was larger even than where I'd faced Odolwa, and the water was at least three times as deep as I was tall – as a Zora, that is. Thin weeds floated up from the floor, waving in the slight currents caused by minor movements in the water, but at first glance there was no sign of Gyorg.

As I've noticed before, turning in mid-air isn't something done lightly as if you do too much you'll end up spinning almost out of control, so I try to avoid it where I don't have something solid to push against as a measure of control. So it was that once again, I turned only after I had landed and there in the water right at the edge of the room was the gargantuan Demonic fish, Gyorg. He had deep indigo scales and malevolently green eyes, long fangs around his mouth that I definitely didn't want to get close to and such a turn of speed behind him that as he charged for the platform he dipped down, rose up and soared overhead, a voice in my mind snarling something incoherent.

_"The feeling's mutual,"_ Ghirahim replied, then snapped an imprecation back in the Demon tongue. The original voice responded in kind.

"If you two have finished irritating each other!" I snapped at him. "I could use some advice here!"

_"Majora is here, Hero. I can distract him so he does not inconvenience you, but I need to focus. You're on your own."_

"Some help you are," I snorted, considering my options briefly then diving into the water after Gyorg. The Demon turned swiftly and bore down on me, but I had all the experience of a Zora warrior. I veered to one side of the great fish and avoided the clumsy snap he made for me, turning back sharply and with a flare of magic projected the electric barrier. Sparks flew across the scaly body causing a pain-filled howl to fill my mind.

Gyorg quickly recovered and rounded on me again, only this time he was in pursuit of me, and the room made it too easy for him to catch me. I was quicker than him, but he was guileful, turning to approach from the other side of the single platform to meet me. I could turn to avoid that and head back the other way, but again he turned to meet me. I took a chance again and attempted to repeat my original attack, but he turned aside too swiftly to make that a viable tactic.

Since I needed to reconsider anyway I dipped out of the water and landed on the platform instead, dripping water – water that was starting to drop in tiny shards of ice around the pouch, giving me my next idea. I quickly seized the ice gem from it, then dropped it as Gyorg rammed the platform and sent me flying, the gem tumbling into the water. Ice formed around it in small chunks, each of which floated to the surface.

I muttered a brief oath to myself then dived in after it, quickly retrieving it before Gyorg caught me. I could still sense the Demon fish behind me, so more as an attempt to distract it than actually harm it, I sent a blast of magic into the gem, directing it behind me to create a sudden frozen wall in the water, extending from floor to surface and even from the platform to the wall.

Gyorg was completely unprepared for the sudden appearance of this barrier, slamming bodily into it. The ice cracked loudly, shattering into pieces and leaving him stunned only briefly before he shook himself clear of the effects and came after me again.

Now I had more space between me and him, and I had a better idea of what I needed. Again I sent magic to the gem, this time willing it to create a thicker wall of ice, continuing to supply it as long as it needed it.

The crack of impact this time sounded so painful even I winced slightly just at the sound of it. This time my wall had held strong, though it had a huge web of cracks sprawling over the impacted area. I turned sharply, doubling back and leaping out of the water where I judged the stunned Demon to be, projecting the electrical barrier once again as I splashed back into the surface, catching the sinking fish before it recovered. The howl this time had strong overtones of frustration, the sparks jolting it back to its senses. With a furious flip of his tail the shattered the damaged part of the wall as he turned to pursue me again.

"Give it up, Demon!" I called back to it. "You're out of your league now!"

_"Go boil your head, foul monster of the Gods,"_ Ghirahim translated its response. _"That's the clean version, by the way,"_ he added. _"The exact translation is much more offensive."_

"So kind of you to sanitize it for me," I responded, blasting out more into the gem to create yet another wall. Gyorg must have noticed the signs as he leapt out of the water and cleared the new ice wall even as it formed beneath him. I continued to circle, focusing on what I was doing rather than irritating the Demon more, then moments before he passed the damaged original wall I once again charged the gem, repairing the wall – only to see it crack again with the renewed impact. It shattered again, the undamaged part tipping over to float on the surface like an icy platform now, but it had the effect I wanted – Gyorg lay stunned again, and once again I turned and shocked him.

Gyorg howled once again, but this time he did not swim for me – and he seemed to be shrinking. He swam about erratically, then leapt up on to the platform, by now so small that all that was left of him was the mask of his remains.

_"Next time, Hero,"_ an unfamiliar but definitely Demonic voice growled. _"The foul Lord will not be able to protect you again."_

"Always nice listening to your empty threats, Majora," I replied. Majora did not respond.

Gyorg, however, did, speaking as both the previous Demon masks had.

_"I am the Demon Gyorg, master of the domain of water. Heed well the warnings of my brother Demons, for now Majora is aware of your actions he will seek to use us against you whenever possible. The place where you store your belongings affords us some safety, but once the four of us are gathered together not even it will be proof against him. Be not dismayed, for though he will seek to use us, we will deny him to protect the Chosen Hero. Venture forth even now unto the war-ravaged dead land of Ikana, and be not afeared of the dead there, for they are scattered and will not marshal together against you as they have before. Remain also wary of the Demon Lord whose remains you bear, for he will exploit any lapse in attention and attempt to turn you to his own ends, even incomplete as he remains. Remember me to the Great Fairy when you see her soon, Hero,"_ it told me, falling silent.

"Talkative one, wasn't he?" Tael remarked as I added Gyorg's mask to the pouch.

"But helpful," I replied. "It suggests that Majora is aware I'm travelling time, and it's good to know I won't have to worry so much over in Ikana also. I wonder how he knows the local Great Fairy though?"

_"Stop wondering and go save the local Guardian, will you?"_ Ghirahim told me impatiently.

I gave him a flat stare, then against muttered complaints returned him to the pouch as well – he could wait until the next Temple before I let him out again.

* * *

The blue portal of course took us to the strange realm where the restored Guardian awaited, who through Tael's translation told us only to help their friend before touching the Ocarina of Time to preserve himself, a second flash taking us back to Zora Cape where the Turtle awaited.

"What did I tell you?" he said. "I spotted you depart for the past just moments ago, and now you arrive right on time."

"I must have taken less time than I thought then," I replied. "For some reason it felt longer."

"Time is ever thus, little friend," he laughed. "I think I will remain awake for a time before I return to my rest," he said thoughtfully. "I'm sure the Gods can permit me the chance to hear Lulu's voice some more."

"Enjoy it then. I don't suppose you happen to know where the local Great Fairy is, by the way?"

"But of course, Silver. Back on the shoreline you will see a string of rocky ledges where trees will provide you ample chance to use your Hookshot to ascend them, reaching to the cavern where she resides, somewhat apart from those here unlike her sisters."

I decided to go ahead and troop right up there, though I didn't use the Hookshot. No one appeared to be watching, so I didn't bother with it. Just before I went into the cavern I did spot a somewhat disturbed looking Zora who'd seen me, but I reasoned that before long he wouldn't remember.

Once restored, I told the Great Fairy about Gyorg's wish to be remembered to her, and she appeared to take that as a reason to explain something to me.

"I see the Demon has seen fit to leave it up to me to explain that," she remarked wryly. "Likely he wishes to see you understand the enmity between him and the Demon Blade you also have."

"How did you know about that?" I asked, startled.

"My dear Silver, did you think I recalled nothing my shattered selves saw and heard?" she replied.

"You walked right into that one," Tael chuckled.

"Alright, don't rub it in, I overlooked that," I muttered.

"We'd never dream of it," the Great Fairy assured me, then began her explanation. "The Demons are not one unified people, Silver – if indeed they may be called people. Though they have their lords and even once, though long defeated, a king, they do not cooperate. The Demons you see here are what you might call neutral – they do not intrude themselves on local affairs but for their own squabbles, and only the presence of Majora is changing that."

"I think I understand," I said. "Ghirahim is the sort of Demon that'd be aligned more toward an evil Demon."

"The term is a little inaccurate," she said clinically. "But it will suffice. Good Demons exist also, though they are exceptionally rare. It is said that Majora once had a Good Demon that opposed him, the Demon Oni, though no one is quite sure what happened to that Demon. Certainly he is no longer able to stop Majora, whatever happened to him."

"Silver, remember what Goht said to us?" Tael broke in. "He and the others would help us get to Majora's opposite, wasn't it? Could he mean this Oni?"

It seemed possible, but I wanted confirmation from Goht himself, so retrieved his mask. "Demon Goht," I said to it. "You said when I defeated you that you would aid me when I faced Majora."

_"That is so, Hero,"_ Goht affirmed. _"I told you that Odolwa, Gyorg, Twinmold and I would open the way that leads to his opposite, in the hopes that perhaps the Good Demon will lend you his aid in your struggle."_

"This Good Demon," I pressed him. "Was his name, Oni, by any chance?"

_"I speak not the name of the Demon, but you have correctly identified him. The Good Demon once fought Majora overtly, but an oversight caused Majora to ensnare him. He could not take the Demon's power for himself though each tried valiantly to do just that. When the Good Demon became aware their struggle would consume whole lands, he bent his mind to locking them both into the form of masks. He succeeded, but as a last act before entrapped within his mask, Majora sealed the Good Demon within himself, ensuring that should any ever wear his mask, he would run unopposed."_

"And if you help me reach Oni, you think I could free him from that and he'd come to my aid against Majora?"

_"He would consider it an extension of his sworn oath to oppose Majora. Pray that he chooses to aid you Hero, for without the Good Demon you are at a disadvantage. The Gods favour you as their Chosen Hero, but the mark of the Triforce is no longer with you, left behind when the Temple of Time was sealed. Majora considers you a threat, Silver. He will not permit you to simply take up where the Good Demon left off. Heed Gyorg's warning well, and do not let your defences down. Majora is actively hunting for you now."_


	42. Frog Choir

Before I left, the Great Fairy not only touched on the Ocarina of Time to ensure she too would be preserved throughout the three days and all my time-travelling, but also took the four spell crystals I had and combined them into one new one, slightly larger than any of the originals and now with a rainbow of lights dancing in the encased sphere. It gave me access to all of them in one easy package, enhanced their effects slightly, and she also told me would allow me to do things I had previously not been able to even if I had two of them out at once – though she did _not_ spoil the fun of finding out for myself.

As it had been growing late and I was already well into the second day of my allotted three days before the Mask Salesman left and the Moon fell – coincidence much? - I utilized the Song of Time to reset everything one more time, noting that at least one of my actions had allowed me to choose Zora Cape as one of my initial starting points.

I chose Clock Town again however because it was more central, and because before I played the song I'd returned to the more familiar Hylian form – familiar, and less likely to be mobbed on arrival.

I made a few side trips on my way to the laundry pool, collecting some breakfast and adding yet more rupees from my inevitable hoard to the bank. I wasn't quite sure how much space I had on the inside of that infinite seeming pouch, but I didn't want to clutter it up with too many rupees. Just enough for current expenses – which I seldom had.

Once down at the more peaceful laundry pool I resorted to the Bomber's Notebook, something I hadn't done for a while, and leafed through the entries. There were quite a few now that were very close to being perfectly clear. With only one Temple left, I wasn't surprised.

The newest additions that I could use however were an intriguing bunch. The four frogs I've been taking pains to point out were among them – one in Woodfall Temple, one in Great Bay Temple, one in the Southern Swamp and one right nearby here in the Laundry Pool. There was a fifth one with them beside a flowing stream that looked like a defrosted Mountain not-a-Village-at-all, and unlike the others it looked strangely reminiscent of a mask I'd obtained...

There was also a father and daughter, or at least given the resemblance I assumed they were so. These two entries were side by side and offered very different views. The father appeared to be in a house somewhere, but also appeared to have several bandages partly wrapped around him like a Gibdo, nasty creatures that are basically mummified Redeads. The daughter meanwhile was outside a house, examining a dry and dusty riverbed next to a waterwheel.

What puzzled me more however was that there was a selection of actual Gibdos, all stood beside barred-off doors. What they were doing in the Notebook was a mystery.

Up until now I'd avoided Ikana except for one very brief visit where my only reasons for going there were getting the Captain's Hat, and I hadn't paid much attention to what was around me at the time. This and the final Temple however meant I had to go there and solve the local problems as always. The fact that they were likely going to be mostly dead bothered me, but at least I'd been assured I wasn't going to have a repeat of the Shadow Temple on my hands.

Since the frogs looked to be a much easier task than the others, and was the only one I didn't need to go to Ikana for, I decided to start with them. I suspected I knew what I had to do with each of them, and like many things here, it involved a mask.

The first stop was Woodfall. Using the Inverted Song of Time allowed me to reach there without incident, since as always I was barred from interacting with anything in those slowed moments, and nothing could perceive me.

I didn't bother to bully the Deku King again, as fun as the prospect sounded, so dropped back into normal time where several days before – well, sort of anyway – I'd used the Sonata of Awakening to raise the Temple, even before it had fully appeared making my way over to it.

Now, always when entering one of these Temples before, I'd noticed there was a strange design etched into a flat rock right in front of the entrance that had Majora's emblem on it. Since after three Temples it had done nothing, I'd overlooked it before, but now on this return visit to Woodfall, it had lit up – and there was a presence about it too.

_"Ye who hold my remains,"_ it spoke in Odolwa's harsh voice. _"Step into the light and return to the appointed place to take up my gage once again."_

"Not today, Odolwa," I replied. "I'm not here to play with you.

Odolwa did not respond. I started to understand what these were for now – I held the remains of a Demon, but not all of the Demons were protected from the Song of Time. Odolwa's mask was safely in my pouch, but it would also be waiting for me on the masked jungle warrior who even now awaited my return to fight me once again.

It was a small comfort, I thought in passing, retracing my steps, re-unlocking doors and such to return to where I'd met the first frog. I didn't need to face Odolwa, but I was going to need to defrost the northern reaches, and that meant Goht – and this time, I'd be wiser to his tricks as well. Not only that but I wouldn't have to trek through the Temple either, wasting my strength solving puzzles yet again.

Unprotected from the flow of time, the frog here was once again in the form of Gekko, the enraged frog who had a Snapper to make a pest of himself. The fight this time was much shorter and far easier – I used the combined spell crystal to freeze his pet Snapper in the water, knocked him off the back of it with my mind, then held him in place and shot him full of crossbow bolts.

That turned it back to a normal, placid frog, so I got out the Don Gero's mask, obtained from a hungry Goron in the Mountain Village, and approached.

"Ah!" it croaked, spotting me – or at least the mask. "Don Gero. It has been a while, has it not?" I just nodded, uncertain of whether the frog was actually talking or the mask was acting as some kind of translator. "I had heard the rest of the choir were gathering," it went on. "But I had heard the snows had not yet retreated from the north?"

"I have it on good authority they'll be dissipating soon," I replied.

"Then I shall await eagerly, and when spring again returns I shall be there," it told me, leaping up into the air and then vanishing in a puff of smoke.

"Did that frog talk?" I asked eventually.

"You act like it's something new," Tael remarked. "You _are_ a giant talking hedgehog, after all."

"That's different. Where did he go, and just how did he do it for that matter? Have we got some kind of ninja-frog choir here?"

"Ninja frogs," Tael burst out laughing. "What will you think of next, Silver?"

I just gave up. I warped myself back to the entrance where Odolwa again entreated me to do battle with him and again I turned him down, heading back out into the swamp. I knew where I'd find the frog here. Even though the water was rapidly being purified and I could have swum, I'd already decided to try not to change form unless I had to, remaining Hylian for now as I floated, not a quickly as I could have swum, but quick enough, to the second frog.

I won't bore you by going through the conversation again, because once it spotted the mask that frog reacted in almost exactly the same way. The tone of it's croaking was different and it was a different colour, but those were about the only differences.

Feeling somewhat stupid for having not done it before I left Clock Town, I quickly headed back there on my way to the Great Bay to repeat again for the frog waiting patiently in the Laundry Pool, then continued on.

Since the ever-present storm barred my path to the Great Bay Temple I was obliged to become a Zora once again, play the song the Zora children had spelled out for me to re-awaken the Turtle, and then hop on his back to go back there again. He casually remarked along the way that his memories were not affected by time's flow and so he recognised me again, although he did note that this time I had elected _not_ to tell Lulu I wasn't Mikau. That was one thing I decided could wait, since she'd inevitably forget again the next time I played the Song of Time.

Gyorg's voice also tried to persuade me to come back and fight him again, and again I turned the Demon down. It was nice of them to offer, of course, but I had other things on my mind. The memory of this place was still strong in my memory, though I decided as I so often do to cheat and simply hop about the Temple using the spell crystal until I found the second frog with an attitude problem and his mass of yellow jelly. Suffice to say, he didn't fare any better the second time around, and before long I was making my way back out again.

The Turtle, who had waited for me this time, took me back to shore and explained to Lulu that there were errands I needed to run to be prepared for the Temple, providing a convenient cover-explanation for me. Since I wasn't entirely comfortable changing form in front of her, I went elsewhere to turn into a Goron and start my trip up to Snowhead. The Goron Lullaby once again sent Biggoron down into the canyon below, and I made my way back up to Snowhead Temple.

Naturally, Goht too told me to return to him and face him, and I did just that. The masked mechanical Demon stood frozen in place, just like the first time I'd faced him. A fire-charged bolt defrosted him, causing him to shatter one wall, then the next, and then I curled up and rolled after him one more time.

_This_ time however, I'd planned ahead. As I made my way around the loop, I blasted small holes in the rocky floor, small enough that a Goron would be able to roll over them without incident, but big enough that if Goht put its foot in one of them, it'd stumble.

I also didn't fall behind far enough for him to shoot lighting at me, and instead when I closed up behind him I launched myself, landing on his back and driving him to the floor, where I delivered powerful Goron punches on him. Goht tried to get up from that, managed to run a ways, then made a misstep and stumbled – allowing me to catch up and slam down on his back again.

To say the least, Goht did not fare nearly so well the second time, and it wasn't long before my new tactics defeated him, reopening the portal which took me directly back to the already rapidly defrosting Mountain Village, where the five frogs awaited. Since four of them had seen me as a Hylian I ducked behind a boulder to change back to that form and retrieve the mask.

"That is not needful, friend," the fifth frog told me. "We know now you are not Don Gero, but the bearer of his mask. I thank you for bringing spring to our mountains and reuniting us, and entreat you to take the treasure that lays beneath the log we sit upon."

The twisted log concealed a chest, inside which was a very odd 'treasure' – a black mask.

"We know not its power," the frog from Woodfall told me. "But we know it has a mysterious power, and thus kept it safe. May it do you much good."

I thanked them for it before I left, heading immediately to Clock Town. There was one person who could help solve the immediate mystery of this mask, and he again appeared suddenly as he always did when I called to him. Tael, as Navi had so many times, took shelter in my cap, apparently not trusting himself to stay out while he was around.

"Ah, yes," the Mask salesman said, turning it over in his hands before handing it back. "The All-Night mask. Once used as a terrible torture device, it prevents the wearer from reaching sleep no matter how much they might wish to. But..."

"I know," I cut him off. "I'm working on it, alright? I've only got one Temple left."

"Take care in Ikana, Silver," he told me. "And remember this... they who reside in the House of the Dead will respond differently to any who were a mask of the dead."


	43. Gibdo Songtime

I don't like Ikana Canyon – though it's not anything against the region itself, as such. When you gather the dead in any single place, they somehow feed off each other. One dead spirit by itself is not something I can notice, but put them together and their combined presences amplify each other.

Most of the time, this isn't a problem as such. The dead just wail and groan and complain about how much better things were in their day. They're desperate for the attention of the living, who for the most part can't even detect them.

My mind however is like a beacon. I don't even have to do anything, they can tell I'm there by it – just like I can tell they're there. And since this means they know I'm aware of them, I'm assaulted by their voices.

Again, this isn't usually a problem, but there are exceptions. I stay clear of battlefields, filled with the restless malevolent spirits of those who perished there, holding on to old enmities and resentments. Some even seem driven mad by death. I also normally stay clear of places like Hyrule's Shadow Temple, wherein the combined presence of the restless dead, the concentration of the violent and dangerous, caused them to rise against me and smother my mind almost entirely. For a fair part of that place, I'd been bereft of my main asset. I _am_ a Hero however, and I got by.

Mostly.

Ikana Canyon was not only the site of an old battlefield that ravaged the entire region, but also a place where the dead wandered freely. In the initial canyon itself where I'd been before, this was manageable. Even in the graveyard where I'd met Captain Keeta the giant Stalfos, it'd been something I could ignore.

When I reached the part where I'd turned off to go to the graveyard, I just floated up the sheer ledge to the area above – and with it the sense of the dead increased. Furthermore, strange creatures that looked like Gorons but Tael told me were actually Nejirons appeared. They stunk of gunpowder, and it seemed like anything I hit them with would cause them to explode.

I dealt with any of them that got too close as I made my way up the canyon, evading rolling boulders along the way, and made my way from this valley into the canyon proper.

I knew from Tingle's map, which I'd stopped by Clock Town to obtain, that this was a large, desert area. Dry, scrubby grass covered the opening area ahead along the banks of a dirty stream that for some reason had a boat pier in. His map also told me that upstream there was the hideout of the thief Sakon – though I wonder how he found that out – and downstream was a concealed cavern.

The sense of the dead was stronger already, but there were different presences as well – they stood out among them, feeling curious more than restless – and filled with a dreadful lust for blood.

I recalled the words of the Mask Salesman at this point. When I'd taken the Garo's Mask to them, he told me it would cause the undead Garo Robes to show themselves – perhaps these distinct presences were just them? I remained wary all the same, but put on the mask.

Almost immediately a robed figure appeared, its head almost identical to my mask.

"Master!" It said, bowing. "You called? Wait... what are you?" it demanded suddenly, drawing a sharp blade. It leapt back and drew a second one, causing a ring of fire to surround us.

"Really?" I sighed, drawing my own sword and shaking the shield down. The Garo Robe attacked, striking with such a deadly accuracy that had it not been for my own swift reactions, would undoubtedly have caught me. The blades bounced harmlessly off the shield, and I darted in and stabbed to cause it to stumble back. A second blow caused it to raise one sword in a kind of salute.

"Most regrettable," it sighed. "Though as my rival, you are skilled. I shall take my bow by opening my heart and revealing my wisdom. The mask you bear will summon other kindred spirits, but is also among those that will cause the other dead to act differently. Belief or disbelief rests within you."

Then without another word it stood, saluted again and vanished.

"Didn't we already know that?" I grumbled. I changed the Garo's Mask for the Captain's Hat – mostly because it wouldn't call these Garo but also because it meant I could wear the Bunny Hood more easily, then regarded the sheer cliff separating me from the vast rocky desert above.

There appeared to be no way up at first until I spotted a second pier in the river, from which I'd have a clearer line of sight to a scrubby tree. Which in turn led to another, and another, up to the top. Given that the Hookshot worked on such targets, and that the only creatures around were already dead and thus aware of my abilities, I ignored them and went up past the edge to get a better idea of the place.

From above I could see the house I'd seen the girl outside of. She wasn't there right now, but I could see where she was. The dry riverbed I'd seen had it's source in a cave at the head of the valley, and along the edges of it there were occasional dead plants. The remains of several buildings suggested that there had once been a village here, but now only the central house was not in a state of disrepair.

It was a curious house with a waterwheel resting in what should have been the river and what appeared to be a pair of large, curled trumpet horns sticking out of the top, twisting around each other. The construction and somewhat garishly coloured style of construction was different to the ruined buildings around, suggesting that it was a much more recent addition.

All about the area were Guays flapping about, annoying birds similar to crows that I tended to use as target practice because they never learned to leave me alone, and a scattering of Gibdos. Sending my mind out searching I found the sense of the dead everywhere, all interspersed with the Garo spirits.

At the house I could sense the distinct difference between the dead and the two living minds within – though one of them was curious, as if it was partly dead at the same time. I suspected this was the man I'd seen in the Notebook with the Gibdo wraps on him.

I figured the first thing to do was to help these two with whatever they needed, which presumably meant healing the man, and I knew exactly how to do that. I waited for a gap between the Gibdos and tried the door.

"Go away!" a young girl's voice told me with a hint of fear. "My father is not one of you!"

"I'm not a Gibdo," I told her. "I'm here to help!"

There was no response though, and a Gibdo was approaching so I got out of its way. I didn't get clear because I wanted to find out what the Garo had meant about the dead acting differently. Here it apparently meant that they ignored me, as the Gibdo shambled past without even reacting to me.

I could have spelled myself inside, but I didn't want to startle the child any more than she likely already was. Instead, I headed upstream, or at least where upstream would be if there had been a stream, heading into the cave where it had clearly originated.

An old sign just outside prohibited entry due to ghost sightings – this being Ikana, I suspected it was a little more than that. Inside there were a scattering of bones and some stone pillars, along with a depression where some shallow, unpleasant looking water bubbled slightly.

As I entered the sense of a spirit grew stronger, then as I got close to that pool a hollow, echoing voice demanded, "What business have you in Ikana Kingdom, land where only the dead roam?"

"Who's there?" I demanded in return, my voice echoing about the cavern. A Poe appeared beneath the remains of another pillar, in one hand holding the lantern all Poes have, but in the other holding a conductor's baton – a curious item for a Poe to be holding.

"This is no place for one so full of life as you," it told me in a hard tone. "Or is it that you are here to join the ranks of the dead?"

"You wish!" I snorted.

"You no longer have the choice. Sleep gently to the melody of darkness that I, the great composer Sharp, shall play and take your place among all others here."

"Something's not right here, Silver," Tael murmured in my ear. "Sharp was one of two composer brothers who visited from a far-off land, and he never wrote a song like that."

Sharp meanwhile began to conduct, a phantom orchestra echoing into life. With every ominous note of his song I felt something attack me, not physically but mentally, sapping my strength. I kept my focus as best I could and reached out to the dead composer – and found a familiar presence.

"Majora," I murmured. The poor dead soul was being controlled by the mask's influence, but not on the same kind of scale as the other Demons. I quickly got out the ocarina and played the one song I thought would help – the Song of Healing.

_"Just the beginning, Hero,"_ Majora's voice told me as the composer stiffened and paused in his conducting, the notes fading away with it.

"What is this?" he asked. "My heart... it is stilled, at ease. The melody has brought serenity upon me... and yet..." he trailed off, and his eyes filled with a harsh orange light as Majora's presence grew stronger still. "To one of the dead and darkness, such a song has no meaning to me! For such a bold and foolhardy attempt, you shall join our ranks even sooner than before!"

He began to conduct again, the orchestra picking up with an even heavier overtone than before. This time the attack on my mind was harder and more forceful. It was nothing like the attacks of the Shadow Temple of the dark interloper, Bongo-Bongo, but it was powerful enough that I lost my focus again. Majora empowered it further, actually driving me to the floor.

"Silver, remember that soldier?" Tael told me hurriedly. "And the song you played to heal him? Get up and play that!"

I should have thought of that before. The Song of Storms, the resulting downpour of which washes away curses and dark influences. I mustered my strength in defiance, feeling Majora's fury at my resistance and, haltingly because of the other song, eventually got out the Song of Storms.

The dead composer stopped once again, looking stunned and shocked. The eyes previously glowing because of Majora dulled back down to normal.

"What is this?" Sharp breathed, looking about at the ethereal rain falling through the cavern's roof. "This song... I know this song. That is Flat's song. Oh, how foolish I have been... to dream of the revival of the Royal Family. Ye who are not afraid of the dead," he said to me, already starting to fade. "With that song you have broken the curse upon me. I will take my leave now, and break my own curse on this cavern, but to you I ask but one thing. Go even to the temple of this land, the root of the evil curse that torments we dead."

"I'm going there anyway," I told him, starting to recover already. "I've got to so I can help the local Guardian."

"Then you will need what I have to tell you, as I am the only one who knows the way to the temple, and the king – the King who awaits in the throne room of the ruined Ikana Castle, awaiting the breaking of the curse upon him. There you will learn what you require. And now... I rest in peace at last..." his last sigh faded with him.

As he did so the water in the depression turned clean and rose up, turning into a spring that rushed down the dry riverbed. I followed it out, watching as it washed away the accumulated dirt of the years, rushing down and sweeping the feet out from under one Gibdo, who thrashed about as it took him down into the original river I'd seen.

The dry waterwheel sluggishly began to move, grudgingly at first and with a great creak. It turned steadily, eventually picking up speed from the currents. The two horns sticking out the top of the house rose up.

And then one of the most awful tunes I have ever heard came from them. It sounded like something you'd expect to hear at a carnival than in a land of the dead. On and on it played, it's purpose unclear – until I spotted the Gibdos throughout the area.

They collapsed to their feet at first, appearing to be stunned, then threw up their arms and writhed in paroxysm, convulsing violently. I watched in wonder as this dreadful tune did it's job, and the Gibdo gave up, clawing at the earth as if trying to bury themselves, then sinking into it entirely. In a matter of minutes, the entire area was devoid of all Gibdo.

I thought it such a shame that it was such a complex melody that even if I could play all of my various instruments at once, I'd never be able to play the entire thing. It was the sort of song that could have come in useful.


	44. Shopping Spree

Silver paused in his account again as the door to Tails' workshop once again opened. Strangely enough Silver's own head poked in, and there was a brief silence.

"Don't you know how rude it is to burst in on your past self?" the Silver who'd been with them all along sighed in exasperation.

"I must have got my aim a bit off," the one at the door confessed. "I might be a bit rusty."

"You mean you missed _again_?" another voice came from outside as the future-Silver retreated out of sight.

"Of course not, I just-" that Silver started, then was cut off by a green flash.

"I _know_ that voice," Sonic said suspiciously. "What was I doing with you? Or... what will I be doing?" he corrected.

"Don't ask that kind of question Sonic," Silver sighed. "You've been listening to my tales for long enough you should know I'm not going to answer that. You _really_ don't want to cause a paradox. Just make sure when we get to that point in time you remember to ask that question exactly."

"If that's when I think it is, you might have to remind him," Manic told Silver.

Sonic looked from one to the other with a deeply suspicious look, but said nothing.

"Why don't you just carry on talking, Silver," Tails suggested. "Take his mind off it."

* * *

Now the Gibdo had been driven off by the awful tune, the girl in the house emerged to examine the stream – but ran as soon as she spotted me, perhaps fearing I wasn't as living as I looked. Since I still inhabited the familiar Hylian form, I doubted my appearance scared her off.

I beat up a few Guays that decided to pester me while I took cover in the ruins of a building in the hopes she'd emerge again. After a few minutes she did just that, but remained close enough that she'd notice if I tried to approach again. The Stone Mask solved that one for me, though she did look up suspiciously when her front door opened itself.

Once I was fairly certain that she was less suspicious I headed downstairs in the house to where the other mind was. At first glance it looked like a kind of basic laboratory, a desk on one side of the room littered with handwritten notes, pictures of Gibdo, Garo and other undead on the walls and such. One discarded note spoke of the song 'Farewell to Gibdos' which was apparently the song I could still hear playing outside, and also through a large set of speakers, though thankfully not so loudly.

The sense of the part-living, part-dead mind came from a large wardrobe opposite the speakers. Cautiously I nudged it open with my mind instead, revealing the partly Gibdo-wrapped man who was probably the girl's father. His white lab coat was partly visible between the wraps as he shambled toward me, groaning in a way similar to the Gibdo he appeared to be becoming.

_This_ soul was one I could heal with the Song of Healing, and I played just that. A bright flash separated one moment where I stood before a man part-way turned into a Gibdo and the next where he stood free of all Gibdo wraps, a mask identical to that of a Gibdo's head clattering to the floor nearby.

The girl ran to him, having apparently been on her way in anyway when she heard my song if not her father's groans, assuring the confused researcher he'd just been having a nightmare. By the looks of things this had been going on for a while, so I quietly left them to their reunion, leaving with the newly acquired mask.

I paused outside to consult the maps, trying to find where the likely remains of Ikana Castle were, along with the local Temple, helpfully marked by Tingle as the Stone Tower Temple. While it was marked, the route to it was not however.

While I was consulting it, the girl emerged, spotted me nearby and joined me.

"I gather you're not afraid of me any more then?" I asked.

"Not after that. What you did down there... don't tell my father," she told me. It wasn't a request, it was simply a statement. "If you do, he'll just want to research it. And he's been here researching for a long time now. I want him to go back to town where it's safe, but he keeps insisting he has to do more."

"Don't worry then," I replied. "I won't bother you any more. Just as soon as I find a way up to Ikana Castle, if there is one."

"I... heard father talking about a way," she said hesitantly. "You might be able to get there through the old well here. But it's dangerous – there are a lot of Gibdo there, and I don't think the music will reach. Maybe that mask will fool them, but... be careful."

Don't you just love how people unthinkingly go out of their way to help we Heroes?

Up at the well was a sign identical to the one outside the newly restored spring – along with a hand-written note tacked to it in writing I'd recognise anywhere, but would be meaningless to anyone here.

"I don't recognise those symbols," Tael confessed after trying to read it.

"I do though," I said, smiling. "This is what our language looks like where I come from, and this is my own handwriting. It looks like this is a shopping list I'm going to write and then bring back to here and now for us to find."

"A shopping list?" he asked. "You sent yourself a shopping list? What for?"

"I don't know yet. But something must have given me a good reason to, and since we found it here I suspect it's related to what's inside. Bit of an odd list though – a bottled fish, a bottle of milk, five magic beans, ten bombs, ten Deku nuts and a Blue potion."

"Well you've got the bombs already, and you know where to get Blue potion. Milk you can get from Romani Ranch, and there's that Deku Scrub at the Swamp Tourist Centre selling Magic Beans."

"And I can get a fish from the Zoras really easily. The only problem I see is that Kotake hasn't got the mushrooms she needs for the Blue potion, and I don't feel like going and playing with Odolwa just to get Dekus to give us some again."

"Just look in those woods for the mushrooms that smell funny. Use that mask the Deku Butler gave you to find them more easily."

Since I was going to have to make a fairly long trip to get all these things I apparently wanted myself to have, I decided to test the new capabilities of Farore's Wind now it was empowered by being a part of the combined spell crystal.

Where before I had to stop at unseen boundaries, crossing them the normal way before I could continue on that way, the newly upgraded spell allowed me to make a jump from Ikana all the way to the Swamp Tourist Centre, where since I knew the local Business Scrub wouldn't deal with anyone who wasn't a Deku Scrub, I changed to that form.

Like all others he reacted to the sight of a Silverwood Scrub, not only dropping his prices so I had to pay only thirty rupees for the magic beans, but helpfully supplying me with a stock of Deku Nuts for only five a piece.

From there I put on some show of doing magic for the benefit of the Business Scrub and floated down past Kotake's potion brewery and into the Woods of Mystery, where I returned to the Hylian form simply because even it is far more comfortable than being a Deku Scrub. I'll get by if I have to, but I'll much prefer another form to it.

The Mask of Scents actually made visible the scent of the mushrooms I was looking for, so after taking a wrong turn and having to re-enter the woods only three times I had all I needed. Kotake was once again grateful for the ingredients, giving me a free bottle of Blue potion in return.

Getting a fish was as simple as heading to the Zora Hall, though since I hadn't bothered to change form this time this startled a lot of the Zoras. After all, the Zora Hall wasn't supposed to be accessible by other local forms of life unless one of the infrequent tours from shore were being made – and this wasn't one of those times.

Finally I warped over to Romani Ranch, where since this was the first day still, Romani was back to practising her archery. I decided not to bother her and to go milk one of the cows myself to get the milk I needed. I _did_ leave them a brief note telling them what I'd done and enough rupees to more than cover the cost of what I should have paid. I'm not entirely dishonest, after all.

* * *

Manic snorted. "From what I've heard you were dishonest enough to lie to most of Termina just because you knew they'd forget. Anyway, you didn't need to have done that you know. They'd never have known if you hadn't told 'em."

"That's no reason not to, Manic," Silver protested.

"'course it is," he replied with a smug grin. "It's the first rule of being a thief – never pay for anything unless you absolutely have to."

"I thought the first rule was 'don't get caught'?" Sonic asked.

"It is. I never said they were from the same rulebook though, did I?" he added impudently.

"How many of these unwritten rulebooks are there, Manic?" Knuckles asked him.

"Oh, about as many as there are rules. Good for puzzling people – I can just ask them if they know what rule one is, and even if they know one of the other ones, I can still throw 'em off with a different one."

"I think you might have done us a favour here," Silver said to Knuckles. "I don't think I'm the only one who wants to hear our little thief's adventures – if nothing else for the insight into the mind of one."

"I know," Knuckles nodded. "I'll have to see if I can't learn what I need to know somewhere I can still hear him tell us his tale. If you ever get around to finishing yours without interruptions, anyway."


	45. Temporal Conundrum

When I returned to the dried up old well and dropped down, I found another piece of paper I'd apparently left myself, giving myself directions. This one, perhaps in concession to Tael's inability to read out version of the language, was written in Hylian. It also told us that the items I'd just sent myself out to collect needed to be given to the Gibdos I'd encounter along the route, and to make sure I was wearing the Gibdo mask or they'd attack.

It was dark, damp and cold down in the well, but after the heat of Ikana outside, a welcome difference. I followed my directions into the first room where two Gibdos waited by barred doors.

"Talk to the right one," Tael told me, reading the directions I left floating in the air for him to read.

"What does it want?" I asked.

"You don't say," he replied. "You'll have to talk to them."

Talking to a Gibdo, knowing what it'd do if I didn't have the mask on, was not something I liked the idea of. As I approached a low, hissing voice emerged from the bandage-wrapped Gibdo.

"Leave it!" is hissed, drawing out the word. "Leave me something to eat that grows when watered. Leave me five of them, that I may rest in peace."

That meant magic beans. Not trusting myself to answer, I got them out and handed them over. Despite having no eyes to speak of, the head turned to look, then the wrapped hands snatched them off me with surprising speed for a corpse.

"Ahhh," it groaned. "This... I bear you no remorse..." it hissed, growing faint, then both it and the beans vanished in a green fire that left nothing behind. The door it had been guarding unbarred.

"Ice Keese ahead," Tael warned me. "Don't forget to remind yourself about it when you write this." He paused, then, "Gods that sounds weird."

"You've been hanging around me too much," I teased, stabbing the Keese as it soared toward me. "You're starting to sound like me."

"I know. I'm going to have to see if I can't go back to irritating you again. Just go straight ahead, ignore the Gibdo to your left. Oh, and watch out for a Wallmaster."

"Easily handled," I said offhand, sending my shield up above me then touching the spell crystal to it to set it alight. Then I sauntered over to the Gibdo I needed to, ignoring the sudden weight on the shield, the charred scent and the scattered parts of Wallmaster that bounced down before burning away entirely.

"You're a nasty guy, Silver," Tael accused.

"You know, there's plenty of monsters and even a few people who'd agree with you if they were still around," I replied. "And what do you want, my good, dead man?" I asked the Gibdo.

"Leave me ten blinding flashes," it hissed back, obviously meaning Deku Nuts. The number of times I'd seen Zelda use them to vanish, even managing to evade my mind as well... I'd love to know how she managed that.

Anyway, I forked over the Nuts, which like the last Gibdo it seized, wished me no remorse, then it too vanished.

"Two Fire Keese, then ignore the Gibdo ahead and turn left," Tael supplied as we passed through. The Keese were easily dealt with, as even the Kokiri sword defeated them in one blow. They never have been a threat, though I think my favourite way of seeing them dealt with was Scourge.

* * *

"That was because of Ganondorf," Scourge said sourly. "I needed to go to monster-infested places to tail you, and you had a habit of leaving monsters for me to find."

"What did you do?" Manic asked curiously.

"Ganondorf made it so that if I said a certain phrase, they wouldn't be a threat any more," Scourge shrugged.

"Yeah, 'Drop dead by order of the King' as I recall," Silver said. "Did he ever give you any other phrases?"

"He said he'd do something about it if I needed. Can't do it anymore since you killed him, of course. You've no idea how annoying that was."

Silver treated Scourge to a smirk before returning to his tale.

* * *

The Gibdo at the door here wanted 'ten refreshing blasts' which I guessed, correctly, meant bombs. Just what the Gibdos wanted with these things, I had no idea. Somehow it seemed to let them rest in peace.

"Be careful," Tael warned me before I went through the door. "You say there are several blade traps in the floors of the next room, along with a Big Poe you want yourself to collect in a bottle."

"I do? I guess if I'm going to say that I must have a reason for it."

"You sound even worse than I do," Tael grumbled.

I'd seen Big Poes on occasion but never actually fought one as such. I imagined they'd be much like normal Poes, simply close in and strike. The moving blade traps would make that awkward, but once again I simply floated above them.

The Big Poe appeared when I got to the middle of the room and charged for me, placing its glowing lantern between me and it, guarding much of it from attack. I let it pass, then threw my sword at its back, quickly retrieving it with my mind.

It screamed at that, vanishing perhaps in the hopes it'd be able to attack me unawares, but I'm not an easy one to surprise like that. I locked the sense of it's presence in my mind, following it – then when it reappeared, behind me naturally, to attack, I quickly dodged aside again and repeated.

After a few blows the Poe burned away, the lantern shattering on the floor to reveal the greenish flame that had been burning within, the Poe's spirit. I caught that in a bottle, then since there was only one door to the room, headed back out again.

"Where to next?" I asked Tael.

"Go back another room," he told me. "The Wallmaster is back, but you want to talk to the Gibdo. Maybe if you're quick you'll avoid the Wallmaster."

I doubted that, replacing my defence against it. The Gibdo here wanted 'something deliciously fresh' which meant the fish most likely. Both it and I completely ignored the repeated scattering of charred Wallmaster fragments, then held out the bottle. Unlike the other Gibdos, it held out both hands to receive it, so I opened the bottle and shook the fish out into its hands. It too wished no remorse, evidently a kind of farewell for them, and vanished.

"Straight ahead," Tael told me. "No need for any side trips."

"I wonder why I felt I had to leave myself directions," I mused absently.

"Maybe you just didn't want to go on unnecessary side trips?" he suggested. "And you might not have thought to collect the Big Poe if you hadn't told yourself to."

"It's possible," I conceded. "What about you, friend?" I asked the Gibdo. "What do you want?"

"Bring to me my restless spirit, trapped elsewhere within the well," it hissed.

"That answers the question of why we wanted the Poe," I observed. The Gibdo placed it's hands on the bottle this time, then the Poe and it vanished.

"I didn't even know Gibdos didn't have their spirits," Tael said afterwards. "I wonder if the others could be helped similarly?"

"They wanted other things, Tael," I replied. "We're just being the good guys and giving them what they want. Anything ahead?"

"Two sets of spiked logs travelling the walls as traps, two Wallmasters, and the last Gibdo. If your list was anything to go by, it either wants milk or the Blue Potion."

The spike traps were simple mechanisms, just logs set to go back and forth in a certain pattern. With my shield aflame once again, I ignored the Wallmasters and made my way through, timing my movements to evade the spikes and reach the lone Gibdo at the far end.

The Gibdo wanted the milk we had, and like the last one it held the jar to take it with it to wherever they'd been going, leaving me with an empty bottle.

"That's it," Tael told me. "There's no more directions. You're on your own again now."

"I wish," I snorted. "Hero's never seem to be alone – at least not for long."

The area up ahead was lit up by sunlight and considerably warmer and dryer than before. Four unlit braziers marked a rough square, an inactive sun switch, something up until now I'd only ever seen in Hyrule's Spirit Temple, sat up on one wall, and there was an empty alcove to my right. Up on a ledge to my left was a large blue block.

Lighting the four torches caused a large chest to appear in the alcove, within which was a large shield burnished to a mirror finish – the Mirror Shield, though different to the one I'd wielded in Hyrule. It was at least more suited to my size and age now. The one I'd had before was suited for an adult.

This one was a mirror set into a large bronze shield and instead of the moon and star symbols that had been on Hyrule's one there was what appeared to be a stylized face. I used it once to reflect the sunlight beaming down on to the sun switch, which activated and caused a ladder to appear, leading to the narrow ledge before the blue block.

As this block also had a large sun on it, I reflected the light again on to it, and it vanished entirely in a blue light – one suspiciously reminiscent of the Time blocks I'd seen in Hyrule, which would appear or disappear with the Song of Time.

This lead me out into the grounds of Ikana Castle, where I took the opportunity to quickly head back to Clock Town, find some paper and make the two notes I'd left myself, then travelling back to a point on the first day where I knew I wouldn't be in Ikana yet so I could leave them for myself to find. Once back in our own time and in the Ikana Castle grounds, Tael admitted to being puzzled.

"Let me just make sure I've got this right," he said. "You just wrote those things for yourself, then took them back so you could find them."

"That's right."

"And you just wrote and left them because you found them before."

"Yeah."

"But if you hadn't found one, you probably wouldn't have written one."

"Not necessarily. I might have gone through by trial and error, found the pathway and items I needed the hard way, then decided I could make things easier for myself by writing a note."

"But that'd cause a paradox, right? Because you haven't done that, so you can't have written the note. So you shouldn't have found one, and that means you shouldn't..." he trailed off. "This is making my head hurt."

"I know. It goes like this. All I need is a reason to write the notes. The first time round, I did it by trial and error, like I said. So I wrote the note and left it for me. I found that note and found it useful, so decided to leave it for myself. That means it doesn't matter what the reason for the original note is – I went back and placed it, and that means I'll find it and realize why – and then leave it for myself. It doesn't matter that it's not the same reason that originally caused them, it just completes the loop."

Tael considered that for a few long moments.

"I give up. I'm sure there's a flaw in that somewhere, but I'm not going to figure it out without going crazy. I'll just assume you know what you're talking about and that you're not ripping holes in time or something."

"You're too kind," I murmured.


	46. Ikana Castle

**A/N:** In which we pay homage to one of the most unknown jobs in any world where some Hero goes to an ancient Temple, tomb or some other such place where no one has set foot in centuries - except these people.

I'm looking at you, Tomb Raider.

* * *

Ikana Castle may once have been far larger, but time and war had done their work well on it and now much of it stood in ruins. Decorative channels that had once carried water through the now overgrown courtyard gardens lay dusty and empty. Pillars dotted the area, clearly showing the twin ravages the castle had suffered, many laying in several shattered pieces. Paintwork that had once adorned them and the outer walls of the castle was faded and indistinct, and the main gates were completely blocked up to the point that nothing short of extensive work would ever let them open again.

Guays littered the skies above, but here outside the only real threats were the senses of Garo spirits, watching even in death to spy on those who came to the place where Ikana's Royal family had once been. So long as I didn't wear the Garo Mask though, they'd leave me alone.

Since I picked up the sense of various Redeads or their friends the Gibdos, I kept the Captain's Hat firmly on my head to afford me at least some measure of safety against finding out what they did if they managed to get to me. The memory of the very first Redead I saw was amusing by now, but also a possibility once again if they got too close.

Near the gate, hidden in the much pitted remains of what may once have been a guard tower, there was a rather conspicuous looking Sun block like the one down in the well. Shining light on it made it vanish, and following the rough tunnel on the other side led me to a blocked up crack. Once I shoved the rubble out of the way, that in turn led me back out into Ikana, offering me a short-cut if I needed it.

The front doors of the castle itself had long since succumbed to the Ikana war, something I knew because as I headed inside I passed their broken remains with several large, time-weathered rocks on top of them. The castle had evidently been involved in a siege.

Inside the remains of a room the purpose of which had been lost long ago there were four Redeads. Ordinarily I would have regarded them as warily as I had the Gibdo in the well, but these Redeads were acting strangely – perhaps because of the Captain's Hat – they were actually dancing. Not very well, and once in a while a piece of rotting flesh would fall off, but they were actually dancing.

I stabbed at one and it flinched back from it, stumbling slightly – then carried on dancing, ignoring me. I even retreated to a safe distance and took off the Captain's Hat, whereupon they suddenly stopped. One started toward me, so I quickly put it back on again, and they started dancing once more.

It was absolutely baffling behaviour, but amusing all the same so I left them to their dance and looked about the room, ignoring them. It was supported by four pillars, though at some point something had impacted the ceiling and left it sagging down somewhat. On two of the pillars were oddly frozen eye switches. To both the north and south were barred doors, and eastwards was a sun block that without any direct sunlight in here, I wasn't going to be removing any time soon.

I shot a Fire bolt at one of them, defrosting and switching it all at once, which caused the north door to unbar.

The room beyond reminded me of a part of the Forest Temple in that it had a ceiling that fell as soon as I approached, as if to try and crush me. Unlike it's counterpart back in the Forest Temple however, it did not raise itself back up again.

A nearby crystal switch did that for me, though it soon fell again. Since the top of it was hot to the touch, I figured it wasn't a good idea to try walking over it and since it wasn't going to go back up on it's own, I'd just float over.

Over on a pillar to one side was a floor switch which unbarred the door leading eastwards.

"You know Silver, there's something I don't get," Tael said as I headed for it.

"Again?" I asked. "How many times is that now?"

"Stop that. This is the place the Ikana Royal Family lived, right?"

"That's what we've heard so far, why?"

"Then why do they have this ceiling trap here?"

"Because I'm here," I replied with an impudent grin. "I'm a Hero, and there's something I have to do here. It wouldn't be right for me to do that without going through a series of rooms filled with monsters and traps. Tomb raiders have the same effect on ancient places I've noticed, except for some reason someone always manages to get there before them."

"So there's nothing left to steal? What'd be the point then?"

"Oh, no," I corrected him. "They don't steal anything. They leave things for the raiders to find – medical packs, supplies for their weapons, that sort of thing."

"A bit like those pots you keep raiding for supplies then?" he suggested shrewdly.

"Well yeah, but at least the pottery has a reason for being there, and the presence of stuff in them is easily explained. The people who used to be there just stored belongings in them before they left."

"Belongings which just 'happen' to be something you can use?"

"Hey, you don't see me complaining," I grinned back, entering the next room.

The floor here had fallen away to leave an apparently bottomless pit below. Rough, rocky pillars stretched down into the depths from the pillars supporting the ceiling above, the only sign that there was, somewhere down there, something.

Hanging from the ceiling in several places were more spike mines, and I detected the presence of an unseen Skulltula on one side of the room. I imagine it was a bit startled when I shot it without being able to see it, suddenly turning it visible as it dropped thrashing into the abyss.

At first glance it appeared there was no way – for a normal person anyway – to cross this room to the barred door opposite. A floor switch concealed in one corner unbarred the door, but also started to rise up slowly after being triggered – evidently on a timer. Since that was the case, I once again cheated so I didn't run out of time.

The next are was a simple corridor that led to stairs going up, and had nothing else in – except two blue Bubbles. The enemy named that, that is, not the ones that Navi always insisted were Shaboms. A bubble is a bubble.

Anyway, since I still had a couple of bolts left in the crossbow I used them to pin them to the walls, defeating them in the process, then paused to reload, absently raiding a nearby pot which, conveniently, had been left with some crossbow bolts in.

"What did I say?" Tael said just a little smugly. "Always what you need just where you need it."

"Must be all this Heroic personality turning common junk into useful stuff," I quipped back.

"Heroic personality? You?" Tael laughed. "You mean the soul of a liar and a cheat."

"No, that's Manic. I just conveniently fall back on slightly less normal solutions."

"Yeah – you cheat!"

"Whatever works," I shrugged, taking the stairs.

All that was at the top was a door leading to the roof of the castle's remains, where there seemed to be little I could do. A stray piece of rubble provided me a means to climb up on top of the walls and follow them around past an area behind a barred-off part of the roof. I could see the top of the cracked ceiling here, and it looked like a good blast would destroy it and send sunlight down below.

Continuing to follow the wall around proved to a pointless since it didn't offer a way through the bars at any point. Yes, as usual I could have cheated just as Tael mentioned, but when I do I chance missing something.

Instead I tracked back, and this time Tael pointed out a rusty old floor switch on the top of a pillar that had blended in so well that I'd overlooked it entirely. It took a ground-pound as a Goron to force it to activate, after which... nothing appeared to have happened.

Tael, who'd been helpfully flying above me, once again pointed out what I'd missed with a hint of exasperation in his voice.

"Look, over behind those bars there," he said, flying toward the ones separating me from the southern wing of the castle. "That block there got shoved back, and the hole underneath revealed. You can see the scrape marks where it got pulled away."

"But what for? Except maybe to let sunlight down. It's not as if I need it to actually go there, after all, I can just go through the front door and defrost the other eye switch – that should let us into that area."

"Well don't just stand there you great lump of rock, get down there and do that!"

"Great lump of rock?" I objected loudly, inadvertently attracting the attention of the nearby Guays. I quickly changed back to being Hylian and shot them down with the crossbow, then said, "_Now_ what are you going to call me, huh?"

"How about 'spoiled little brat'," Tael suggested. "I don't imagine you've learned to do much the normal way before becoming a Hero. You said yourself you're too reliant on your mind."

"Oh, come on Tael. Are you just going to come up with offensive nicknames for all my forms now?" I asked, ignoring the dancing Redeads again. Just as I'd thought, the second eye switch opened the south door.

"Well, maybe not Mikau," Tael conceded. "He's too cool for that. But your others, yeah. You're Deku Boy, a great lump of rock, spoiled little brat and an overgrown hedgehog."

"Why did I ever agree to go around with you?" I sighed.

"Because you need my advice," he replied immediately. "Go get on with this Silver. We don't have all day, you know." He paused, then added, "Figuratively speaking."

This room was painted in a garish yellow and green pattern that even covered the floor. A lone pillar held up the ceiling here, not far from a newly opened hole in the ceiling that streamed sunlight down into the room. While there was no falling ceiling to worry about here, there was a Floormaster, cousins of the Wallmaster that while they can't drag me back to the start of an area as once happened to me in that dreadful Shadow Temple, they do split into three smaller versions of themselves when attacked, and all three have to be destroyed or they'll simply re-form again.

It was wandering around pretty aimlessly when we came in and hadn't noticed us yet.

Beyond it was another sun block barring my path. Since I was going to have to face the Floormaster anyway I got the Mirror Shield hovering in the air before me, freeing up my hands to hold the Gilded Sword two-handed, which always gives a bit more power behind it. More if I ever utilized the gold in it to enhance my mind a bit, something I seem to recall I forgot about too often.

As it turned out I needn't have bothered anyway. As soon as the Mirror Shield got into the sunlight, the sunlight caught the Floormaster before the sun block, causing it to immediately explode into the three smaller versions. I quickly re-oriented the shield to catch them as well, destroying them entirely just by sunlight alone.

"I wish I'd known about _that_ in Hyrule," I muttered to myself as I watched the sun block vanish, revealing four more dancing Redeads. "Or had a mask that caused this to happen," I added.

"What did you do when you encountered Redeads there then?" Tael asked curiously.

"Blasted them with fire mostly," I laughed. "The first time I saw one I was... well, breaking into the tomb of the local Royal Family. Someone had suggested I do that for some reason, and it got me a better shield at the time. Anyway I got to one point, looked around and then when I looked the other way there was this Redead shambling for me. Blasted it with Din's Fire so hard there was just an outline on the burnt wall behind it, it startled me so badly."

"Heh. Little Silver's afraid of a Redead?" he chortled.

"You would be too if you'd never heard of them before," I retorted, heading past the Redeads for the door.

I caught the sense of a familiar presence as I entered, and spotted the tell-tale glowing flagstones that I'd seen before. Wizrobe, the continual pain here in Termina, once again showed himself as he rose out of one of them.

I decided there and then I'd had enough of this pest, so grabbed hold of him with my mind, tore him away from his glowing panel, then shot him with the crossbow, emptying it of bolts. I didn't bother to add more, I simply closed in on him, held in place by the sheer force of my will, and hacked away until he was defeated yet again.

"You know Silver, sometimes I wonder about you," Tael remarked. "You keep giving the impression you can't be bothered to kill monsters outside of the Temples since they'll only come back, but sometimes when a familiar face like Wizrobe shows up you seem almost possessed by blood-lust."

"I don't like it when an enemy refuses to stay dead," I replied, reloading my crossbow again in case I needed it. "Particularly tedious, annoying ones like him."

"You do realize you're going to have to face all the Demons again, don't you?" he asked.

"How do you figure that?"

"Well, once you're done here you'll have their remains, sure. But the moment you play the Song of Time, they're all back, and Majora seems to know about you now, so he won't make things easy for you. I reckon if you defeated them all in one go, _then_ went to confront him on top of the Clock Tower like we did before, his influence on them would be a lot less, and that could give us an edge."

I considered it. "You might be right," I conceded. "We'll have a word with Ghirahim, much as I dislike him, when we get to the Stone Tower Temple. Maybe he'll be able to confirm what you say."

The route from here took me back outside, where I ignored the block I'd moved before – except to wonder how exactly it had been moved, as there was no obvious mechanism. Instead I made my way past it and set a bomb on the cracked ceiling – only to find it wasn't enough. It shook slightly, but a bomb wasn't going to do it.

The only way I had around that was to go Goron, quickly nip back to Clock Town's Bomb Shop and buy a Powder Keg off the Goron in there. The massive explosion that caused _did_ shift the cracked ceiling, flooding the entrance chamber with light and allowing me to open the way to the centre of the castle by reflecting the light on to the sun block.


	47. Mental Assault

The throne room of Ikana Castle was a vast chamber rivalled in my experience only by the Temple of Time itself, though unlike the Temple it was not brightly illuminated by sunlight. Only two large windows, high on the south wall, allowed light in, and while they brought in plenty it illuminated only a small part of the room.

Unlike the rest of the castle, the throne room had been kept scrupulously neat with only a few more ornamental pots in the nearest corners. The room appeared otherwise empty but for the large throne, but a brief search turned up not one but three presences, all of which dead.

I kept both sword and shield at the ready as I warily approached the throne where these presences were. When I'd got barely half-way toward the dais the throne stood on, two tattered drapes unwound and flapped down over the two windows, darkening the room – and with the darkening three Stalfos appeared, bearing more ornate arms than most I'd seen before.

Sat on the throne with an old crown over his bony head was the king, his own sword and shield laying against the throne. He began to speak, and as he did so the other two stepped up on either side of his throne.

"Oh insolent one who has brought the unthinkable into a land such as Ikana... my servants have fallen namelessly before the light which guides you. However... the darkness in which my servants reside is also fleeting, and you shall see now with your own eyes... just what kind of a thing true darkness is."

"What, again?" I said, unimpressed by this.

The King seemed momentarily nonplussed. "You don't seem familiar, boy. Have we met before?"

"I doubt it," I replied. "Never been here before in my life, or in yours probably either. But if you want real darkness, go have a look at Ganondorf of Hyrule. Have a look in, oh, about five years time and you'll get to see me defeat the self-proclaimed King of Evil."

"You speak of events yet to happen as if they are set in stone?"

"Why not? For me, they've already happened. In the proper course of time though, they haven't. Doesn't matter to me which it is, it happened or will happen, and I'm pretty sure he's much more of a threat than you are."

"Are you going to let him stand there and insult us, my king?" one of the lackeys demanded.

"Give the word, your majesty, and allow us to teach him not to belittle the finest warriors of Ikana!" the other implored.

The King did not answer but instead waved one arm imperiously toward me. The two started for me, brandishing their weapons. At a glance they appeared to be practically identical to ordinary Stalfos, though I wondered if they'd uphold the usual honour of other Stalfos and fight one at a time or not.

Regardless of that, I maintained my unimpressed expression and murmured, "Don't get excited Tael. I'm going to do something a little extraordinary."

"Standard fare for you then," he replied, flitting slightly clear just in case.

I made some show of sighing, then to the clear bafflement of the two skeletal warriors I tossed my shield to one side and sword to the other. They did not, however, clatter to the floor but were taken up by my mind, causing an apparently phantom hand to wield them. Then just to make my point clear I also rose up myself, which caused all three jaws to drop – I did still look like a Hylian boy, after all.

"You speak of the darkness," I told them. "And you know I am of the light. I warned you that you are as nothing compared to the mighty King of Evil who perished by my hand, and now _you_ will see with your eyes what happens to the fools who oppose the light!"

Alright, I was being a bit theatrical. Every now and then I get the odd urge to show off.

I directed my weapons toward my stunned enemies, hounding one with the shield to keep him from coming to his companion's aid, that one being beset by the sword that could not be disarmed, never stopped and always found a place to strike. After several blows he fell, and I brought the sword over to the other lackey to deal with him, assuming that like other Stalfos, that would be it.

It wasn't, however. The king muttered something and pointed imperiously toward his fallen soldier. I caught the brief sense of Majora's presence, then the Stalfos rose again, and since my attention was then divided again dispatching the second one had to wait.

I changed tactics then, bringing my equipment back to me and continuing to hover just out of reach, and then decided to take an idea that had been inspired by my Kokiri rival, Mido. I lacked the same kind of mental power I'd had when he came up with it, but nevertheless had enough to do what I needed – swipe at each of them with my mind and a wave of my own hand, shattering them both and sending bones flying about the room.

The king's jaw dropped again, but again he pointed to them and again Majora's presence flickered through my senses, as if being summoned by the king's word and remaining only long enough to revive the minions, drawing their bones back together again.

"You're being dense again, Silver," Tael sighed, flying back over again. "Why don't you burn away the drapes over the windows? Light banishes darkness, after all."

"You're as bad as Navi was," I grumbled. It took me only a moment to send a pair of fire bolts into the curtains, the dry cloth burning brightly away to allow the sunbeams to stream back into the room.

The two lackeys avoided them entirely now, perhaps knowing what would happen, so I instead simply picked them up and put them down inside the sunlight. They dropped their arms and clutched at their heads in a soundless scream as they burned away in a blue fire that left nothing behind.

This naturally caused the king to start to his feet as he was now alone.

"How dare you!" he exclaimed furiously. "Oh great Demon who permitted me to bring back my minions," he called out. "Grant me the power to defeat this foolish boy!"

_"With great pleasure,"_ Majora's voice said with a maliciousness about him. _"Let the Hero return to his darkest hour, when the dead took from him that which has made him who he is. Direct your people, King Igos Du Ikana, and cause the dead to rise up against him and his mind, and you will leave him bereft of his greatest gift!"_

"It shall be as you command!" Igos called out, smashing one mailed fist against his shield.

Majora had, I felt, made a dreadful mistake in letting me hear what he was planning against me. I strengthened my mind's defences in preparation, knowing that he was going to cause Ikana to act against me as the Shadow Temple had.

I had _not_ however counted on the spiteful empowerment Majora gave as Igos commanded the spirits to rise up against me. The sudden onslaught of countless conflicting thoughts and emotions and blind, rage-filled hatred and even more besides battered my defences, diverting my attention to focus on them. I held out against it, then the full force of Majora impacted me.

So hard was the force against me that I didn't even have time to react as I suddenly dropped like a stone to the floor, closely followed by my sword and shield, clattering loudly away beyond my reach. The mental assault had once again left me without enough focus to utilize my mind, and the physical impact had left me winded.

Igos was coming for me, and had he any flesh to his skull I suspected he would be grinning cruelly at his now powerless enemy. I wasn't completely defenceless however. I'd fought without my mind once before, I could do it once again.

I dived aside as his massive blade swung for me, heading first for the Gilded Sword. It wasn't as ideal for defending as the Mirror Shield was, but it would allow me to take advantage of any opening I saw.

After muttering a few remarks I don't think I'll repeat here, I realized I'd made a bit of a mistake. Igos had positioned himself between me and the shield, and if his servants were anything to go by, I'd need that to finish him. That was secondary however, I could defeat him and hope that Majora wouldn't revive him as well, but even then the pause to revive him would give me an opportunity to retrieve the shield.

I kept a wary distance from that massive sword, trying to circle around him to reach the shield anyway as I took stock. Igos also knew my need for the shield, so kept himself in the way, even going so far as to kick it away from the light so he could keep me from it.

Right now I was in the form of a Hylian boy, and I had access to everything and anything – except my mind and my shield. The serviceable Hero's Shield I'd come to Termina with was available, but lacked the reflective properties I needed.

I'd found before that in this form I had the kind of youthful energy I'd always lacked before when it was just an image, and coupled with the Bunny Hood I had a fair turn of speed and energy to spare. I put this to good use, darting in and evading the sword of Igos, then even as I had before, swiping with the flat of the blade to slam hard on any part of the skeletal body I could reach. I managed to knock several bones out of place, making him unstable, but it wasn't until I kicked out a leg bone I really had enough effect on him.

Igos stumbled, and I took advantage of that to kick out the other leg, effectively immobilizing him. He discarded his own shield and used his free hand to try to turn and drag himself over the floor, but in his disabled state I easily got past him, snatching up my shield and then running for the light.

"No!" he screamed as the light touched him, already burning him away. "You promised me, Demon!" he howled. "You told me I could defeat him!"

_"Fool!"_ Majora's voice sounded scornfully_ "You underestimate yourself. I merely needed you to give the order for Ikana to rise against him. You were never a match for him."_

Igos howled in frustration once more, then vanished. I had hoped that with his demise his command might be rescinded, but it was not the case. The dead of Ikana still assaulted my mind, and as long as Majora stood with them I was as powerless against them as I had been against the Shadow Temple – and this time, I didn't have the Triforce of Courage to come to my aid.

"Forgive me, Hero," Igos' voice came from nearby. I looked around, startled, and found his head hovering in the air with an indigo aura around it. "I was mislead and tricked by the Demon. In death I was easily fooled, but now in true death I understand. I charge you Hero, to avenge me. Go to the Stone Tower and ascend it to reach the Temple at its peak.

"I know," I said wearily. "Any number of people have told me to do that lately."

"Ah, but have they not told you how to gain entry? I could have sent hundreds of warriors from my kingdom to that stronghold, but even they would not have been able to topple it. And so, I must grant to you a soldier who has no heart and will not falter in the darkness. Play now the ancient song I teach to you here, and understand."

I followed along with the notes he sang out, playing it on the Ocarina. As the last note faded I felt strangely cold and almost as if I was somehow empty.

"Step forward, Hero," Igos commanded. "And observe the effect of the Elegy of Emptiness."

I did so, turned, then gave a startled gasp. Stood where I had been was a perfect copy of my Hylian form, absolutely motionless.

"Touch it," Igos told me. "Not all your strange capabilities require focus to use. Touch this empty-hearted soldier and continue to observe.

Again I complied with his request and reached out to touch my inanimate doppelgänger's shoulder. There was a wrenching sensation, then suddenly I was looking out of its eyes. I drew in a sharp, surprised breath – and was startled again as it was this body that did so, and the one I had just left now stood motionless with one hand extended where my shoulder had been.

Surprised and a little concerned, I reached out and touched my real body the same way – and again with a wrench I was back again, staring at the shell I'd created.

"The Elegy of Emptiness causes you to shed a shell of your current form," Igos told me. "Do not be surprised that I know of your other forms, Silver – in death, I am freed from some constraints. At any rate... you may move your consciousness between these shells, or diffuse it through all that you create – but take note that you may only have one of each at any one time. Perhaps if you overcome the effects of Majora, you will even be able to do this at a distance, no longer requiring direct contact. Hail and farewell, Hero," he said, his explanation concluded, and faded away.

"Unbelievable," I murmured. "I really look like that, don't I?"

"Didn't you ever see your reflection before?"

"Of course, but... it's just I met someone once who also looked like this – at least for a time. I never really realized how alike we looked. This is going to be a powerful tool, Tael. Maybe even enough for me to handle the Stone Tower Temple without needing my mind at all."

"That'll be the day," he snorted.


	48. Ascending the Tower

I experimented some with my new song, creating empty shells of all of my forms and hopping between them. I could always tell when I was in my actual body as opposed to one of these shells as they felt different to me. This was, I had to admit, a much quicker way of changing forms were it not for the set-up needed.

Very quickly I realized that all of these forms except the Deku one would be useful for weighing down various switches, and that the heavy Goron shell would similarly be good for the ones that needed a bit more weight to them.

Igos had warned that I could only have one of these shells for each form, and that begged the question of what would happen if I re-played the song. Playing it once caused the matching shell to vanish, and a second time created a new one where I was. That was useful, if I needed to move a shell from where it was to where I was, I could effectively 'summon' it to me by playing the song twice.

Without my mind though Igos' suggestion that I could split my mind between all of them was almost out of reach. I could, with a lot of concentration, manage two at once and rather clumsily at that, which meant it wasn't really worth the effort.

All I'd done here at Ikana Castle however had achieved very little in the way of telling where the entrance to the massive Stone Tower Temple lay. It had got me a very useful magical song and taken my mind from me yet again – which irritated me to no end – but that was all.

I was in for a surprise when I left the throne room however. Igos' two lackeys were waiting for me, also now nothing more than their skulls with a similar indigo aura, and the Redeads were oddly gone.

"The King told us to tell you the way to the Tower," one of them told me.

"You mean he told _me_ to," the other said.

"You? Why would he trust you to do something like that?" the first demanded.

"Do you _mind_?" I cut across them irritably. "Just get on with it and argue later will you?"

They stared at each other rather sheepishly.

"The King says you've got to look at the truth in the far north-east of Ikana outside," the first said.

"And then follow what you see there," the second added. "You'll need that song he taught you once you're in the spire leading up to the Temple itself. Now go away so we can get to arguing."

"Who says we're going to argue?"

"It's what you wanted isn't it, you feeble minded fool!"

"Feeble! I was once called the finest swordsman in all Ikana!"

"You? Feeeeeeble!"

That argument was still going back and forth even after I'd got out of earshot.

I headed up toward the north-east end of Ikana and searched about through the Lens of Truth, not really sure what I was looking for exactly. The occasional inconvenience of Guays only irritated me further, disrupting my searches whenever they came to pester me.

Eventually however I located an illusory wall that concealed a highly stylized carved stone face, the stone tongue lolling out as an entryway to the passage beyond. That passage turned and twisted, rose and fell, but only ever had one route and had some unknown light source. As I neared the end I heard the flap of Keese wings, the groans typical of Gibdo and Redead and a great rumble and crash of rocks.

When I emerged out into the tower itself I saw a chain of three carved stone blocks each of which was floating in the empty air without any apparent means of doing so, and while it was peaceful I took the opportunity to get a good look at the tower.

There were a series of chipped, worn and battered platforms lining the edges, and no routes between them. Several clearly purpose-made targets told me that I was going to have to resort to the Hookshot, not an appealing idea. In several places rocks materialized out of nowhere, rolling or falling to crash down on a platform with a shower of rock shards, then carry on down into the endless abyss below.

I crossed the stone blocks to the platform opposite where there was a stone floor switch. I ignored it for now – hearing the continual moans of Redeads made me wary, and I wanted to know everything about the three platforms here before I started switching switches and finding out what they did.

The Hookshot took me up a platform where besides a Beamos there was nothing except another switch, and a second target revealed only a third switch.

Experimentally I stepped on that one, watching as a stone block from above moved into a new position, then moved back as I stepped off. Rather than hold it down just yet, I repeated for the other two, and paused to think. The paths they took clearly suggested that at least one of them was made to account for the positions of the other two.

I went between the three platforms, studying their movements and committing them to memory so I could figure through, then suspected I had the answer. The middle switch first, held down by a Hylian shell, the upper one second held down by a twin Hedgehog, and the lower one last, triggered by Mikau's doppelgänger. That arranged the stone blocks in a chain like the first ones, hovering in the air and allowing me to reach the next set of platforms.

Here there were three switches that didn't appear to do anything, but perhaps were either meant for later on, or for getting back again. I left them alone and headed up to the next platform where once again there was a floor switch, ignored as I headed up one more time where the second as accompanied by another Beamos, easily dealt with. The topmost one was on it's own, except for the rocks that were around.

Again I paused and tested each of them, watching their movements, then decided it was very similar to the first – the middle first, then the lower and finally the upper. I used the same shells in the same order, though I almost forgot I had to play the song twice as it dismissed the original shells. With each of their disappearances of course, the first set of blocks returned to their original positions, while my actions aligned the next set in a new chain. I started to understand why Igos had given me this song – it was vital for one by himself to make his way up.

Again there were three switches opposite that I left alone, suspecting they were like the last set – there to do what I'd just done, but from the other side in case I wanted to go back. I hoped I could still use Farore's Wind to handle that if I needed, since the spells in the crystal were locked to their originally intended effects only while I had no focus.

I was able to use several Hookshot targets from there to make my way up to the highest point of the tower without having to mess around with any more switches. The Keese, which from here I now saw were Fire Keese, had left me alone and I'd not seen a single Gibdo or Redead – despite clearly hearing them throughout. The rocks that had been around, trying to impede me hadn't, and now I stood at the top with three more switches and a gap between me and the painted, stylized stone face that was the entrance to the final Temple of Termina. It looks suspiciously similar to the Majora's Mask actually, though the eyes of the Temple had fires burning within.

One more time I checked the switches and studied their patterns before finally deciding on the pattern I needed to align these and at long last enter the Stone Tower Temple. East one first, west second and the centre last.

As I crossed the aligned stones, I noticed on the stone slab just outside the temple there was a large red switch. No matter what I did to it though, it refused to budge. Perhaps I needed something inside the Temple for it? If I did, it'd be the first time – but then, it'd also be the first time I needed a song inside a Temple instead of just to reach it.

Like before, there were three more switches that did the same job, and like before I ignored them and headed inside. Immediately obvious was that either I was going to need my mind, or there was something I wasn't fully aware of, because although there were routes forming the floor here, the ceiling _also_ had some. The grey stone which at the previous Temples would take me back to the boss was also up there on the ceiling.

"Wake up, Demon," I said, taking Ghirahim out again. "Time to earn your keep again."

_"Spare me your feeble attempts at humour, Hero,"_ he growled, then paused. _"Something has changed about you. You seem... more like the other Hero I knew somehow."_

"Majora used King Igos to force the local dead to rise against me and effectively nullify my mind," I shrugged. "It's annoying and inconvenient, but I can live without it. Tell me something though," I said, recalling the discussion Tael and I had back at the well. "The four Demons at each of these Temples. They're back when I play the Song of Time, right?"

_"Naturally. You will hold their masks, but their Demonic nature prevents the Goddess of Time from fully affecting them, and their masks will also be on their revived selves, waiting to challenge you."_

"And since Majora is actively opposing me now, he'll use them against me. So since after this I've got to confront him anyway, is it going to make any difference if I defeat all four of them first?"

Ghirahim appeared to think for a time before he finally responded. _"I think so. Majora may be trying to draw from their power. If you leave them alone and simply challenge him, he may have more power, and I don't doubt you as a Hero will want to remove that advantage."_

"Told you so," Tael said smugly, then said, "Hey, Ghirahim. Can you block out Majora again so our mentally challenged friend here has his mind back?"

_"Don't be stupid. Majora isn't doing anything to him, he's just empowering the dead, and I have no power over them – at least while I remain incomplete. Get to work, Hero. The next – and possibly last – piece of me likely resides here, not to mention the giant Demon Twinmold. I will enjoy watching you pit your puny might and deprived mind against _that_ Demon,"_ he laughed nastily.

"Why am I even bothering with you, Demon?" I sighed.


	49. Empty Temple?

The entrance area of the Stone Tower Temple was strangely deserted, and without being able to mentally scan ahead and find the unseen, that made me edgy. Edgy and irritated isn't a very good combination, however.

I checked the area over through the Lens of Truth to see if I was missing anything, like a solution for reaching the ceiling, but found nothing. Both Ghirahim and Tael made a few remarks about this, but for the most part I ignored them – at least until I shot a bolt at a golden eye switch on a face like the one inside, but smaller. That caused a chest to appear on a platform, which in turn jutted out over a large depression in the floor.

I regarded the gap between me and it for the time, then as the chest was right on the edge I circled round to a better vantage and after only a few choice words used the Hookshot to reach it, netting me the first of the fifteen Stray Fairies.

Getting back was more of a challenge since I had nothing else to Hookshot on to, so I took a running leap and just barely made it, having to pull myself up.

_"Oh, how the mighty have fallen,"_ Ghirahim chuckled. _"Without your mind you're not nearly so dangerous, are you?"_

"Shut up," I snapped. "Or I'll make a trip back to Snowhead and stick you in the lava for a while."

_"As if I haven't heard that one before."_

I didn't bother to dignify that with a response, then before I decided which way to go I changed back into a Zora, pulled on the Golden Gauntlets, and following them something I hadn't used since the place I'd found them – a nice pair of spiked metal bands that fit neatly over the Gauntlets, using the small gem embedded in them to hold them in place.

"I don't see the point," Tael confessed as I headed for the western door.

"To these?" I asked, bearing one now-spiked fist. "It's simple. I'm irritated, and these are going to be therapeutic. Any questions?"

"Seriously? That's you're reasoning? I don't think it'll make any difference, Silver."

"Wait and see," I replied.

Through the door were a series of narrow corridors, several of which ended in floor-switches that didn't stay down. In the course of exploring I found this area too was almost annoyingly deserted, but I did find a wall with a web of cracks over them.

Now ordinarily I'd simply blow up the wall, but since back in the Spirit Temple I'd shattered large rocks with this combination, I simply repeated the process and shattered it by hand instead.

* * *

"You're welcome," Knuckles said with a faint smile.

"I _thought_ you were responsible for them," Silver said. "Why didn't you say anything before?"

"The time wasn't right. You should know all about that," he smirked.

"Oh, you're asking for it now!"

"Do you suppose we could wait until after you're done to start fighting?" Scourge complained.

"Right," Manic said, getting up with one hand already reaching for his sword. "I've had just about enough of your complaining. How many of me d'ya reckon you can take, grumpy-guts?"

Scourge spluttered for a few moments, but shrank back when Manic actually started to draw the sword.

"I love doing that to people," Manic murmured to Sonic as he sat back down.

"Never did take much to keep you happy," Sonic replied blandly.

"Moving on," Tails cut firmly over the response Manic almost gave. "Silver?"

* * *

Behind the remains of the wall I'd broken down were several large crates, along with a gold-bound chest on the ceiling, which I ignored for now. The crates were empty and thus not very heavy, but heavy enough that I could probably use any of them to trigger all but the Goron-only switch.

I didn't bother to move them myself. I simply created four shells, one for each except my Deku form. Being able to create a copy of my own form meant I never needed the crates at all, so for a bit more value I shattered the crates by hand before finding out that one of these corridors was no longer a dead end and let us out into yet another deserted area.

"This is starting to really bother me," I muttered. "Ghirahim, this is the Temple, isn't it?"

_"Of course."_

"Then why aren't there any monsters around?"

_"I have no idea. However, that being said..."_ he trailed off. I waited, examining the area. In keeping with my new habit of ignoring places and objects that I'd have to somehow invert gravity for, I noticed only a locked door to one side, a set of stairs down on the other, and on the floor a patch of scrubby bushes and a cracked floor.

I punched the floor to shatter it down, letting sunlight stream down and a sudden wave of heat to stream up. Tael decided on his own to fly down and have a look.

"There's lava down there," he reported, his voice echoing up. "Some statues that may or may not be Armos statues. Some of those convenient pots for you. Can't see much else without going out of sight."

"Leave it then. I'll have a look when I go downstairs in a moment, once Ghirahim finally finishes his sentence."

_"I was looking about,"_ he said in an injured tone. _"Or whatever you want to call it, anyway. I can't say for sure what caused the monsters to be defeated before you came here, but I'm picking up a strong sense of surprise. Something startled the monsters so badly it reached the point I can feel it."_

"That doesn't bode well," I noted.

_"Perhaps not. There's a touch here that's very much like yours."_

"Mine?"

_"That's what I said, Hero. Are you having trouble hearing too now? Must be all that Heroic personality squashing your brains out through your ears."_

"Do you _mind_?" I demanded. Ghirahim didn't reply however.

I headed downstairs and started to see what Tael was talking about. The statues nearest the door didn't respond to my touch, making them ordinary statues, and reflecting the light on a sun block he'd neglected to tell me about made it vanish. There was a large pool of lava ahead, in which there were two more statues, and two more still further ahead in an alcove that wasn't under lava.

Due to the heat-resistant properties of the form, I went Goron and waded through the lava without any effect whatsoever, pausing to examine each of the statues. They _did_ activate at my touch, but I found a good Goron punch shattered them.

The two statues opposite where I'd came in were also real Armos statues, and also went the same way. There'd been a chest beyond them, but in defeating all four of them another chest appeared in the lava which quickly burst into flames, the gold bindings already starting to glow. I quickly retrieved the small silver key from it before it melted, then went for the other one to get not one but two Dungeon Maps. One was labelled 'Sky-Up' and the other 'Sky-Down'. I examined both in detail and decided that – for the moment – I needed to pay attention to the first one, and that the second probably applied for all the ceiling stuff. I still wasn't quite sure how I was supposed to handle that, since I had no way of telling gravity to go up instead. It would probably solve the problem of the Moon falling though.

On my way out I changed back to my Zora form for the gauntlets and spikes again – I _really_ wanted to smash up something that wasn't a wall with these – only to have Ghirahim tell me to stop and Hookshot up to a narrow platform where a chest let me snag the next Stray Fairy.

I used the key on the locked door back upstairs, passing into a room that was eminently suited for my present form with the water in it. I could immediately see another pointless Dexihand, and a Beamos statue behind some bars that was inaccessible due the sun block in the way. Due to various structures above there was no sunlight close enough to make it vanish.

I dived in and headed under the bridge spanning the middle of the room, the bars of which made it too inaccessible for now, and then leapt out of the water to pass the Dexihand and land on a platform with a chest that had another small key.

_"That sense is here too,"_ Ghirahim noted. _"Something came through here and attacked. I can't get any idea of who, what or how. The memories are already fading, all I can get is the sense of surprise that was felt. And curiosity. Something was curious."_

"Let me know if you come up with anything more helpful will you?" I replied.

_"Whatever. There's a channel back in the water underneath that pathetic hand. The feelings I'm picking up go that way, and I don't think there's any other way you can go – except backwards, but that should be second nature to you Heroes."_

"Those kind of remarks are starting to get old, Demon," I told him flatly, diving back in and taking the route. There was a floor switch in the ceiling, as strange at that sounds, but nothing else in the channel until I emerged in a large, water filled chamber. It seemed almost like a giant tank.

There were several Bio-Deku Babas and Skullfish here, but I easily swam through them and, to my relief, could still project the electric barrier to dispatch them. I also streaked past a collection of spike mines, the currents caused by my passing making them swing into each other and detonate. The floor switch that had been protected by them switched easily and created, of all things, a chest on the underside of a platform.

I checked about the room, finding only a few other things I couldn't use just yet like a sun switch underwater, so I headed up, surfaced and landed on another bridge, this one unbarred. There was a mirror ahead of all things, but it seemed different somehow, as it didn't reflect anything properly. Around the corner from it was another sun block.

Reflecting light from outside on to the mirror caused it to glow, but oddly not to reflect the light out – instead it seemed to suck it in. When I stopped reflecting light to it, the effect faded, _then_ the mirror output light – as if it was some kind of light battery. After a time, that ran dry and it faded.

I charged it up again for a time, then dashed ahead while it still had light to reflect the light a second time and remove the block.

_"There was a Real Bombchu here,"_ Ghirahim said. _"Something managed to get past the block somehow."_

"Unless they come back, that means they'd either have to teleport like I do, or fly through that narrow gap that was above it."

"I could probably fly through it," Tael said. "Not sure why I'd want to though."

"You're still not sure why you wanted to come with me though," I told him, checking a large chest that was also concealed by it. Like the map chest, it had not one but two paper Compasses in, and it broke with tradition by _not_ having a piece of Ghirahim in. It took a few moments to attach the Compasses to their correct maps, and interestingly I found that both maps mirrored each other – where there was a chest on one, there was on the other, and where I was shown on the Up map, I was also in the corresponding location for the Down one.

Since the maps also told me that the nearby door only led back into the entrance area, I went the other way and unlocked the door on the other side.

In the next room there was a stream of light already coming down from above, a series of six sun switches, three on either side of me, more of the light-battery mirrors, and a sun block. There were also a mass of black Boes, which I forced to ignore me simply by wearing adding the Stone mask to the various accessories I'd put on Mikau's form. I've often wondered what he might have thought about that.

Firstly I checked the sun switches, lighting them up only for them to burn away – except for the last one, which created a chest. Fortunately, unlike the Hyrule's Spirit Temple, the wrong switching didn't try to catch me out with some kind of trap.

Then since the chest was on my way anyway, I charged up the right mirror, then reflected the light on to the sun block, retrieving a Stray Fairy from the chest along the way. Behind the sun block was another chest, also containing a Stray Fairy, bringing my count so far up to four.

The other mirror allowed me to reflect light around the other side of the room, then a second mirror beyond that reflecting back the other way. The light from there to banish yet another sun block, defeat two Nejirons that must have been terribly surprised since the Stone mask effectively made me invisible, and head through the door.

I wished almost immediately that I'd had the benefit of my mind here. There was lava below, along with a large Goron-only switch down there, but ahead of me was a large air vent producing a nearly visible blast of upward air. The map and what I could see from here told me that I'd have to go Deku and fly through the room, and that wasn't so appealing. I'd done it before enough times to be a competent flier of course, but I never really did get comfortable being a Deku.

Before I did that though I climbed down the nearby ladder, went Goron and triggered the switch. Nothing appeared to happen.

I rolled through the lava, trying to find anything that was different, and it was only when I had made a complete U-shape to the other side of the room I found out what. A ring of fire that had been guarding a floor switch had faded. I knew it had faded because before I reached it, it had shot up again.

It took me several attempts to make it from the switch to the chest in time before I finally managed it, and the switch in turn appeared to do nothing. It remained switched however, so I assumed it had done something.

I headed back round and up, then with a sigh that to their credit neither Ghirahim or Tael said anything about, I turned back into a Deku and used the nearest flower to fly up into the air. The current blasting up gave me more lift, and I was able to turn aside to a small alcove where there was a collection of rupees and a chest giving me the fifth Stray Fairy. From there I continued to use following currents to fly over where I'd just been below, reaching the ledge at the far end where a chest contained the sixth Stray Fairy.

While I once again went to a form I could use the spikes in, Ghirahim must have been checking things out again, because before I touched the door he said, _"You know that sense of surprise I've been picking up?"_

"Not personally, no," I replied.

_"Very funny, Hero. I've found the source. It's in the room ahead. I could be mistaken, but I'm fairly certain I can feel the presence of a Garo Master there – not like any Garo Robes you may have fought down in Ikana – and I suspect the two are embroiled in a battle with each other. It definitely feels very much like you normally do, at least when you have your mind, but it's very small. I'd say... almost Fairy-like."_

It barely took me a moment to process that and make the connection. I _ran_ for the door, heedless of whatever this Garo Master could be doing. I may have temporarily lost my mind, but the prospect of what came next banished all my irritation and concerns.


	50. Reunion

The door had been locked and as I later noticed barred from the other side due to the battle there, but I still crashed through it. The solidly constructed door gave way immediately, torn from its hinges and pulling up the squealing iron bars. As soon as they were clear of their places I threw the door aside and paused only momentarily to take in the scene.

Most unexpectedly, I quickly registered Blaze's presence, though she held one hand to her side as if injured. On the opposite side of the room to her was the Garo Master, easily twice the size of the Garo Robe I'd seen before. His garb was not rough brown burlap but a fine violet with red and gold trim, and he had a shining silver mask in place of the simple hood. He wielded two long blades that were set aflame, and he was trying without much success to slash at a tiny light that was another fairy.

"Accursed fairy!" he snarled. "Hold still while I deal with you!"

"You wish, you big bully!" the fairy replied in the familiar piping tones of my long missed companion, Navi. She was easily evading the blades, and I could feel the faint pulses of her mind actively at work aiding that. The Garo Master wasn't having much luck fighting her.

I put aside my momentary elation at being re-united with her and concentrated on the task at hand. Navi clearly held the attention of the Garo master, and neither appeared to have noticed me yet. Navi always was more perceptive than I realized, and so she may have noticed but been too busy to remark – and even then, if she did notice me, she likely wouldn't recognise me.

This meant while I had the chance, seeing to Blaze was the first order of business. I quickly darted to where she was, making sure to hold my spiked hands up to show I didn't intend to fight her.

"I don't have time to explain," I told her quickly, getting out the Blue Potion I'd bought for the Well but not needed. "Drink this – it'll help with your wounds and give you a good boost of energy besides – then leave the rest to me. I'll explain afterwards."

Before she had time to answer me I was already returning to the rather one-sided fight between Navi and the Garo Master.

"Is that the best you've got?" Navi demanded, and I felt a hard shove from her – and a momentary pride. I'd taught her how to use her mind like I did mine, and she'd turned out to be exceptional at it. The push she gave was powerful enough to shove the Garo Master back – and right into me.

"Hey, you," I growled at him. "Pick on someone your own size," I told him, then punched him squarely in the face, making him stumble back again in surprise, his silver mask dented. I followed, raining further blows on him and leaving great rents and gashes in his otherwise fine robe, paying attention to the floor as his oddly green blood started to leave a trail. Further and further back I drove him, unaware of what Navi or Blaze were doing, until I cornered him.

Then he vanished.

"Behind you!" Navi cried the alarm. I turned quickly and even quicker dropped to the ground as the two blades scythed harmlessly past each other above. I reached for Ghirahim, incomplete as he was, and started for the Garo Master again as I got back up.

"The blade!" the Garo Master exclaimed in surprise, and attacked swiftly and harshly, leaving me no quarter. I had to concentrate fully on defending, if I made a mistake that was likely it. Soon enough he appeared to start to let up – but that was a deception, as I struck for an opening he quickly seized the Demon blade from me and leapt up.

"Give that back, you thief!" I snarled after him, swinging both arms to send both of Mikau's fins soaring up after him. The Garo Master easily dodged them both as they reached up and arced back, pausing on the ledge of the circular opening in the ceiling.

"I do not take orders from you," he told me in a low hiss. "I answer only to my Master the Demon Majora, and the Demon wishes to possess this blade for himself. Fare poorly, Hero," he said, then vanished again.

I restrained myself from the urge to shout a number of particularly unpleasant remarks about him and calmed myself with considerable effort. By the time I was done, I was faced with Blaze and Navi hovering almost protectively between me and her.

"Relax, Navi," I said. "I'm not here to fight you."

"You know him?" Blaze asked her.

"No," Navi said thoughtfully, and I felt the probing touch of her mind. "Wait a moment. There's two presences here, and I don't mean his fairy."

"Want me to tell you, or do you want to figure it out for yourself?" I asked.

"Do we really have time for this?" Tael asked plaintively.

"Oh hush," Navi told him, and again I felt her mind touch mine. "It's strange. They're both... very similar. But one of them is..." she trailed off and I caught her surprise before she drew her mind back. "Silver? Is that..."

"Hey Navi. Been a while, hasn't it?" I grinned. "I didn't think you'd recognise me."

"But how did you – I mean you're-"

"A Zora, I know. The lead guitarist of the Zora band the Indigo-go's, to be exact, something that Tael here," I nodded to him, "Goes all fanboy about."

"I do not!" he spluttered.

"Oh, really? Who was it who couldn't stop talking about it on the way back up from the beach?" I teased. "I'm also the Goron Hero Darmani at times, a Deku Scrub, the familiar Hylian boy you remember and also..." I paused, and took off the Zora mask. The Golden Gauntlets were loose on my hands now, but I ignored that. "The Hero of Time, Silver."

Blaze started back at the sight of me changing form, going for her slim rapier, but Navi practically threw herself at me. If she'd had arms she'd have hugged me, but she didn't need to. This close to her I felt her own mind and how much it had grown since I'd last seen her.

"You're keeping in practice I see," I noted.

"Why don't you look for yourself, and see just how far I've come?"

"I would, but I'm having a bit of trouble at the moment. Something like when we visited the Shadow Temple."

"Yeah, he went up against the local dead King and Majora used him to make Ikana attack his mind," Tael supplied. "The overgrown hedgehog's been terrible without his mind."

"You're accompanying him now then?" Navi asked.

"I dunno about that – I was just going with him to get back to my sis originally, and that was his fault anyway."

"Excuse me? If Majora hadn't cursed me-" I started.

"Yeah, yeah, don't go into that again," he sighed. "I went with him after that because he doesn't know Termina too well – and so I can tease him."

"Who's Majora?" Blaze asked.

Tael and I shared a look, then we spent several minutes in the relative safety of that room filling the two in on why I was here and a summarized version of what I've told you so far. When I finished, I asked them, "I know about you," I said to Blaze, "But why are you here, Navi?"

"I was exploring," she replied. "I do that a lot lately. I came here to this Termina and found out what was going on, then met Blaze and decided to start here. I had no idea you were here too."

"When did you get here?"

Navi squirmed slightly. "I uh..."

"What did you do, little fairy?" I asked wearily.

"I uh... got here tomorrow," she answered after a moment, and Tael burst out laughing.

"Oh, gods!" he laughed. "Two of you! And to think it was bad enough with only one!"

"Is he alright?" Blaze asked quietly, watching Tael fly off a ways howling with laughter.

"He's fine, he just has trouble understanding the concept of time-travel," I sighed. "I guess that explains how you're here now," I added. "I knew you arrived tomorrow, on the second day. I didn't know you'd figured that out for yourself."

"Silver," Navi said firmly. "You took us through time a few times in Hyrule, and every time I was in fully command of my mind, just like you were. You can't expect me not to have learned anything from that."

"I'm just teasing you. I'm proud to see you're doing so well. I take it you're the reason I haven't seen any monsters up until now? Both of you, I mean."

"I don't know about both of us," Blaze sniffed. "I'm not even sure Navi needs me around. She throws them around like rag dolls."

Navi's white glow turned slightly pink with a flush.

"What am I going to do with you?" I teased her again. "Well, since I've sort of taken it on myself to be the local Hero, why don't you two come with us? I can't imagine better company – especially not after having to put up with that Demon blade. We'll wait for Tael to finish up, then move on."

"On other thing, Silver," Blaze told me. "Before that... thing focused entirely on Navi, I nicked this from him." And she handed me a small golden gemstone. "There was a note with it too. I've got it somewhere, but I couldn't read it."

"It said that the Hero must use the Sacred Light on the red emblem outside. It also said something like 'The emblem will rearrange the Temple so that the earth is born in the heavens and the boon born on the earth' which I can only means it lets us reach the sort of things we keep seeing above us instead."

"How have I ever managed without you, Navi? You've just given me the answer to a puzzle that's been bothering me since I first set foot in here."

"I still don't get it," Blaze said. "How can something like that work?"

I put the little gem down and wiggled my fingers exaggeratedly as I grinned and said, "Magic."

"Make him stop that, Navi," she complained.

"I _did_ tell you magic exists, Blaze. Silver's just naturally good at it – at least when he's not irritating the locals to the point they steal it from him. Still, at least I'm around to provide that for you, eh?"

I gave up at that point. I'd missed Navi, and I'd almost forgotten how much I'd enjoyed her company and how easily she could put me in my place like that.

While Tael still remained away from us trying to come to terms with the situation I took the opportunity to explain the novelties of the Goron and Zora forms, along with my reason for inhabiting Mikau's at the time, along with sharing with Blaze the letter I'd got her to write to herself way back when I'd first seen her.

"This doesn't mention the last two forms," she noted absently, while I once again returned to Mikau's form and re-armed myself as I had before. "But I guess you didn't have them at the time."

"What's it like being a real Hylian, Silver?" Navi asked suddenly.

"Different. It was a bit uncomfortable at first because I didn't have any fur at all, but I'm alright with it now. It's just being a Deku Scrub I'm having trouble with," I told her.

"Alright then ladies," Tael said, coming back. "Why don't we get a move on? We've only got a few hours until dusk, and when that happens we'll be out of sunlight."

"Not a problem, my dear Tael," I said, smiling. "A little tune on the Ocarina and we'll be whisked ahead to morning."

"I know that. I just don't like it when you play with time."

"You've never mentioned that before."

"Why would I? It wouldn't make any difference. I don't mind the Song of Time so much, but the others all make me queasy."

"I noticed the same when I first starting doing it myself," Navi noted. "I'll give you a few tips while we tag along."

I consulted the maps for a moment, not that I really needed to as the only door – well, the only _intact_ door – led south, into a narrow corridor that was only just wide enough for Blaze and I to stand beside each other. Part of it dropped down and had some moving spike traps in, while the rest stepped up in a giant stair in the middle. A strange creature with a mask on was waiting for me.

"Hiploop," Tael told me absently. "Rip it's mask of with the Hookshot or something to make it vulnerable," he added, then went back to his discussion with Navi. I took that advice, divesting it of its mask, then taking out the crossbow to shoot it instead, quickly attaching the new light gem to fire a Light Bolt. The resulting bolt blazed with light that exploded around the Hiploop on impact, though it faded quickly, leaving nothing behind.

"Nice shot," Blaze remarked.

"Fair," I said modestly. "This form isn't really suited for archery. I prefer to use my own or the Hylian one. Navi, have you encountered any fairy-like presences while you've been going through?"

"A few," she answered. "I didn't really pay them much attention, I thought they were just others like me, or the kind that heals. Why do you ask?"

"Remember the Stray Fairies I told you about? I've got six of them already, and there are fifteen. We need to collect them all so we can restore the local Great Fairy."

"Oh. Should have thought of that." She paused, and I once again felt her reach out, then she said, "There's one here, but you'll have to come back for it. You'll only be able to get it after flipping the Temple. Keep moving Silver, I'll keep a lookout for them for you."

It was almost like we'd never parted ways. I felt better for reuniting with her than I would have if I'd retained my mind by far.


	51. Up is Down

The next room was actually one we'd visited before, the room where Ghirahim had told me about the channel 'guarded' by a Dexihand, only this time we were on the covered bridge crossing it that I knew led back to the entrance chamber. Given how little I'd done and how little there was left to do, this was actually convenient since I needed to invert the Temple anyway.

Guarding the way ahead was a curious metallic... thing, crouched froglike. When I approached however it stood up on two legs, oddly humanoid except for it's single green eye. It stomped toward me, throwing up its hands to create a rock between them, which it lobbed at me – and I felt Navi's mind deflect away from me. The thing's eye turned yellow as it paused to throw a tantrum at this, then it tried again.

"Oh, for goodness sake Silver, you're helpless," Tael sighed. "It's just an Eyegore golem. Shoot its eye when it turns yellow."

"Alright, alright," I said, injured. "I was getting to that."

Navi chuckled, but said nothing. Since I evidently was going to need the crossbow I backed away out of its reach until it sank down again, then went back to being Hylian, loading the crossbow ready.

"Not yourself then?" Navi asked.

"I don't attract so much attention when I look like this," I replied, readying the crossbow. "Not that it matters here I guess, but still. Blaze, would you get its attention? Navi can keep the rocks away from you, and I'll stick a bolt in its eye."

"You're a charming person Silver, you know that?" Tael observed. "The way you so casually talk about defeating monsters is almost disturbing."

"Do anything enough times and it becomes commonplace," I shrugged, taking aim. Blaze approached the Eyegore warily and as it had for me, it rose up materializing another rock. Navi lofted it out of its hands before it threw it, enraging it immediately. I fired, and as the bolt impacted so too did the rock Navi had dropped on it. It started back from my shot, then was driven to the ground by the rock, if not defeated then stunned. Just for good measure, Blaze approached it and gave it a few good stabs, some in the eye but also in gaps in what appeared to be the metal body.

After she was done with her assault it exploded into nothingness, causing a chest to appear which, interestingly enough, Navi opened with an absent thought to release a Stray Fairy. She made a few high-pitched sounds that were very musical, then the Stray Fairy flew to me.

"What did you do there?" I asked her curiously as we continued.

"I just talked to her in the language of Fairies," Navi replied. "Told her you weren't a threat and you were gathering her friends to restore her into her greater form. She decided to go with you willingly because of it, obviously."

"Couldn't you do that?" I asked Tael.

"My voice is too low for them to hear," he replied. "I can do it, but it's in a different range to the girl fairies."

It was a fascinating insight into a side of Fairies we never really see much of.

Outside in the still deserted entrance area I found we were back on the narrow spit where I'd made the first chest appeared, and I eyed the gap between me and the other side warily. Blaze, ever graceful, easily leapt the gap, and both Tael and Navi simply flew, leaving me there.

"Oh, don't tell me," Navi sighed. "Same as the Shadow Temple?"

"He nearly made it when we got here," Tael told her. "Had to pull himself up though."

"Oh, Silver," Navi sighed again. Rather than leave me there I felt her mind reach out, pick me up and take me over the gap herself. For someone who does that to himself all the time, it was actually strangely startling.

"You've definitely grown stronger," I noted once I was set down again. "You managed that without a problem."

"Like you said – I kept in practice. Now, are we going to invert the Temple?"

"Just one thing first," I replied, went apart a ways, and used the Elegy of Emptiness to create a shell of my Hylian form. "If it stays there afterwards, it'll let us move about on the other side of the Temple at the same time," I explained.

Navi examined it with interest, then said, "I don't see the point. It's just a statue."

I reached out to it the same way I had in Igos' throne room, shifting my consciousness to it.

"Sure about that?" I said through the shell's lips instead.

Navi was definitely startled by that, examining both with her mind again.

"Go back a moment Silver," she told me. "I need to know something."

I did just that, returning again.

"It's really quite simple Navi. The song creates a shell of whichever form I'm in at the time, and I can hop between them at will."

"Interesting," she said thoughtfully. "Give me some time to think about this. I've got an idea, and it needs working on."

"Whatever you say, Navi."

_Then_ we went back outside, where the three stones were still in place. I leapt to the closest one and fired a light bolt into the red gemstone. There was a strange sense of movement, and a startled cry from Blaze who was now hovering in the air under Navi's power.

"Quickly Silver," she snapped. "Grab hold of the bottom of the block! I can't hold two of you at once!"

I threw myself down and had to stretch to reach the bottom edge not really understanding at first – until gravity caught and started tugging me down – or possibly up – toward the moon. I was left hanging at arms length from the bottom, now top, edge of the stone.

While I watched helplessly, unable to get myself up, Navi and Tael flew around to the underside of the platform they'd been on, Navi taking Blaze with her, then once the shaken feline had been set down, she came back for me.

The three platforms, now four, were hovering at what previously had been just above the entrance to the Temple. The tower I'd ascended to reach the Temple now stretched up above us, and peering over the edge the endless sky, complete with the moon, awaited us below.

Above us, the rocks that had previously been just an inconvenience continued along the same paths, unaffected by this apparent shift in gravity. Navi, like me, noticed this and picked up a nearby rock. When she let it go, it soared upwards, obeying the normal gravity.

"Remind me never to go adventuring with you or your friends again, Silver," Blaze told me. "This magic is starting to get weird."

"Welcome to the life of a Hero, Blaze," I laughed, and headed back into the Temple.

The shell I'd created was nowhere to be seen, and since the spot it had been on now lay above open skies, it was fairly obvious what had happened. It had been affected like the rest of us. It was worth a try.

A sun face I'd noticed before and not done anything about was reachable here, and shooting it with a Light bolt caused it to activate and create a chest right in front of the stone emblem that would, if I had Twinmold's remains, take me back to him. That chest contained another Stray Fairy, which after a few more musical words in the fairy tongue, Navi also convinced to come with us.

East – West to people right-side up – was the only way we could go for now, leading us into the room where I'd first encountered the light-battery mirrors. The sun block, having been removed before, was therefore not present and not barring our path. Even if it had been, I suspected the new light bolts would work the same as it had on the sun switch.

Here, holes in the ceiling that had previously let sunlight in now let air rush inwards, drawn upward to create air currents that, with a sigh, I realized I was going to have to go Deku to make use of. Blaze concealed a snicker when she saw that form.

It was only after I'd flown ahead a ways I realized I was going to have to change again because I spotted an ice-encased eye switch, so I dropped to what had previously been the ceiling, between the currents, and changed back to trigger it.

"A chest appeared up on that ledge opposite us," Blaze called down. "Navi's taking me there. We'll meet you there – Deku boy!"

"Oh, don't you start with that too," I groaned, changing back again. I leapt into the nearest current to rapidly gain height, then passed them in mid-air as I flew for the chest that appeared, containing another Stray Fairy, which once again Navi had words with.

I took out the relevant map for this side of the Temple, which Navi then took off me.

"I know what you're like," she told me. "There's a chest above us. Use the current on either side to get up high enough. It's on the channel that leads to the room with all the water."

"How come there's no waterfall from there then?" Tael wondered.

"One way to find out," I squeaked, since I was still a Deku Scrub. Blaze once again tried not to laugh at me. That's the sort of thing that kept me from ever being comfortable as a Deku Scrub – no one takes me seriously like that.

The channel Navi directed me to was wet, slippery and had tiny puddles along, but no water. When I got to the other end where the Dexihand still waited, I saw why there was no waterfall – the water had all drained out of the top of the Temple. There was, however no chest.

"It's back the other way. Would you step on that floor switch there dear?" Navi asked Blaze. "Only Silver isn't going to be heavy enough to trigger it like that."

"We'll go up ahead to find the chest," Tael said, already going ahead. "C'mon, Deku Boy."

"I wish you'd stop calling me that," I grumbled.

"Then don't be a Deku Scrub," he told me.

"I kinda need to be right now."

"Who's fault is that? If you'd played the Song of Time after defeating Igos, you'd have got your mind back and wouldn't have to worry so much."

"I wish you'd suggested that to me before we came here, Tael."

"I only just now thought of it. Go open the chest," he told me as it appeared, not nearby but over on a far ledge, beyond another masked Hiploop.

"Sorry," Navi apologised, catching up. "I was looking at the wrong part of the map. This inverting the Temple thing got me a little mixed up."

I flew over toward it, dropping a barrage of Deku Nuts on the Hiploop to persuade it to leave us alone, then retrieved a silver key from the chest.

"There's something for you to answer, Navi," I squeaked. "How did you get through the locked doors? I know there's at least one we met."

"I teleported us through," she replied. "Actually I used what I learned for travelling time and used the same theory for travelling through space. It wasn't as hard as I thought it was, and I didn't need a spell for it the way you did."

"That's not supposed to be possible!" I exclaimed. "You shouldn't have been able to do that!"

"Well, you learn something new every day. Keep moving, Silver. Change back and shoot that sun switch up there."

With some relief I resumed my Hylian form and shot it, causing a chest to appear upside-down on a ledge above us.

"You mean we have to invert the Temple again?" Blaze said flatly. "If we have to do that too much, I'm going to go back to Clock Town."

"No, you're not," Navi said. "I told you, you can't do that until after I've taken you back in time or you'll cause a paradox. Silver can tell you all about how bad those things are."


	52. The Return of Wizzrobe

Navi directed me to a floor switch further up in this room, which refused to stay switched. I played the Elegy of Emptiness, only to find nothing happened, and it was only the second time I played it that the shell appeared.

"Now that's very interesting," Navi remarked thoughtfully. "I wonder if..."

"Yes?" I asked.

"What? Oh, never mind. I'm still working on it. Go Deku again and fly up to that ledge up there," she said, flying toward the one she meant. "Once you've got the chest there, you'll want to head to that one over in the corner. I'll handle the mines before I take Blaze up and meet you at the door there."

Blaze's deliberately straight face said more about the need to change form again than anything else could have. I used a nearby Deku Flower to soar up and reach the first one, feeling Navi's thought strike past me and knock the mines into each other to give me a clear path.

The chest contained the tenth Stray Fairy, which since Navi was otherwise occupied I re-used the Great Fairy's mask to befriend. It wasn't ideal, since the mask itself was almost too big for a Deku Scrub, but it worked.

Since there was no flower here, I had to take a jump off that platform to drop into one of the air currents, gaining enough height to rejoin the others beside the locked door, where since I only barely reached the lock having not changed form yet, Blaze took the key off me and did it for me.

The room beyond was very interesting. On what was usually the floor above there was a pool of lava, which occasionally dropped burning, cherry red rocks which obeyed our gravity instead of the normal gravity the lava stuck to.

In the middle of the lava was a small, round platform, and on our floor there was a raised ledge spanning the width of the room in line with it. Between us and the ledge was a lowered area that even jumping wouldn't have let anyone reach the edge of the ledge.

Above the door opposite was a red emblem identical to the one outside. It seemed fairly clear what I needed to do – shoot it once to invert everything, go Goron to make it over to the middle platform, shoot it again to invert things back again, then run up the sloped ledge on the far side to reach the door.

Navi must have been following the same line of thought, as before I said anything she said, "We can skip it. I can see how it's supposed to be done – by Silver, anyway – but it's no barrier to us. Tael and I can fly, I'll carry Blaze again and come back for Silver."

"I wish you'd taught me like you had Navi," Tael said. "Then she wouldn't have to make two trips."

"Your mind is too erratic for it really," Navi replied. "Silver will have to confirm that for me, but I'm pretty sure it makes a difference."

"Sort of," I said. "It helps to be able to focus on one thing. You could do it with a mind like that, but you wouldn't have the same kind of clout Navi or I do."

"Thought so. Silver, you've still got Farore's Wind, don't you? I think I can make use of it the way you used to, to make things easier."

I took out the combined spell crystal once again, which she regarded with great interest for a few moments before remembering herself and once again did me proud by doing exactly what she said she would – using it to transport all four of us to the door in one go.

"Keep it," I said when she made to give it back. "You can use it better than I can for now."

Through the door was a shorter and relatively safer room which had two ChuChus in, a barred door and a granite block in a lower area. There was a place for it over beside the platform for the door opposite, which like the previous room had another red emblem above.

Again it was fairly obvious what needed to be done. Moving the block physically could only take it so far before the room had to be flipped to keep going, which would be a tedious task.

"Start moving it, Silver," Navi told me. "I'll help get it over those ledges, save us having to invert the room constantly."

This time I resumed my own form, since I hadn't really used it much lately, and Blaze joined in helping push it in the right direction. She took the side where the ChuChus would attack from, so she could pause to deal with them without having too great an impact on the movement of the block. I slowed somewhat without her help, but it was better than getting attacked by the blobs of jelly.

Once it was in position the door unbarred without the need to flip the room and we proceeded once again, into a larger room that aside from one area to the left which was meant for access by normal gravity and a raised area to one corner, was empty. Except for lava raining rocks down from the ceiling, and the annoying, self-explanatory panels on the floor.

"He just never learns, does he?" I growled. "This is what, only the fourth time I've had to do this?"

Blaze looked puzzled until I went further into the room and caused Wizzrobe to appear once again.

"Here we go again," Tael sighed. "You might want to tell him where he is," he told Navi. "I got the idea Silver could keep track of Wizzrobe even when he wasn't visible."

Due to the lava I quickly changed to my Goron form so I could simply ignore them, then curled up and rolled toward where he'd been.

"Behind you," Navi called out, correcting me. I had to turn sharply and head after him, uncurling at her command and smashing one great fist into him. Wizzrobe quickly vanished again. I noticed Blaze had also caught him from behind, having moved quicker than I'd expected.

"Where next?" I called to Navi, but she was already flying to the raised alcove. Wizzrobe appeared, sneered at her, then received the full force of her mind delivering a ringing blow on his chin.

"Ouch," Blaze winced. "That's the sort of thing she was doing to the other monsters," she confided to me. "Startled the hell out of them, I can tell you."

"Ledge behind you, Blaze," Navi told us. Blaze easily leapt up to it and stabbed the surprised Wizzrobe. With a frustrated howl he now started appearing on all of them, but with Navi keeping steady track of him even this didn't avail him. She quickly pointed me toward the real one, and once again I curled up and rolled toward him, punching him again. He fled once again, only to have Navi follow and hit him herself, after which he burned away, defeated, causing a single chest to appear.

Blaze – again, I'm not sure how, not after Tails' observation that only Heroes can open chests – opened the chest and Navi spoke with the eleventh Stray Fairy to have it join us, then after consulting the map used the spell crystal to warp me up with Blaze so I could take the nearby stairs down with the rest of them.

"You weigh a ton like that, do you know that?" Navi complained.

"I'm a Goron, what do you expect?" I replied.

Down – or possibly up – the stairs we were in a small room which had almost no floor at all, only a ledge by each door and open sky below. A Poe appeared almost as soon as we entered, but Navi went ahead and dealt with it herself the same way she had Wizzrobe. The startled expression of surprise the Poe had as it faded away suggested that no one really expected a Fairy of all things to be capable of such things.

She then flew ahead to the other door's platform where two more Poes appeared, only this time they took one look at Navi and decided to disappear again, perhaps aware of what had happened to their friend.

"Cowards," Navi sniffed.

"You've grown hard, Navi," I accused.

"That's not my fault," she replied, using the crystal to warp us over safely. "I wanted to go about on my own, and you taught my how to use my mind to defend myself. I had to persuade any number of monsters and even a few Hylians to leave me alone. Don't go through the door yet. Tael, wait here with Blaze would you? Just in case anything happens, and so I can use you as a point of reference to get Silver back quicker. We're going up there," she said, flying for a nearby ledge that I realized was the place where I'd first used the various shells in the Temple.

Now, however, there were floating statues that Navi identified as Death Armos Statues, upgrades of the normal ones that she'd apparently encountered in her own travels. A solid Goron punch sent them flying back, and a second one shattered them completely as she led me through those narrow corridors. We found the chest I'd caused to appear earlier, only now it was surrounded by fire.

I found the way back to the switch I'd also found on the ceiling, creating a Goron shell on it to keep it switched and reasoning that it would, as it did, lower the flames, and allowed us to pick up another small key. Navi warped us back to where Tael and Blaze were waiting, then directed us up the stairs.

This next room was also over an open sky, and Navi told us to wait while she and Tael looked about the room before we did anything.

"I've never travelled with a fairy before," Blaze remarked while we waited. "It has it's moments, doesn't it?"

"Oh yes," I laughed. "Especially when it's Navi. She saw me through an entire adventure over in Hyrule. I'll tell you about it once we're done here. I know Navi's worried about paradoxes, but I'm on good terms with the Goddess of Time, and I think I can see a way to avoid one and have us all stick together. I need a break anyway," I went on. "It might be nice to just start over and rest for a few days."

"You? Rest? Be honest Silver, you're enjoying yourself too much for that. I know you well enough to know that."

"Alright, so maybe I am," I laughed again. "I can't help it. It's part of being a Hero, I guess. Probably what I'll do is just run around helping people like I have been before, probably end up collecting a few more masks, then once I'm sure there's nothing else I can do, play the Song of Time again. Defeat all four Demons because Ghirahim agreed it would probably weaken Majora a bit, and then meet up with Majora and make him realize how much I dislike him for everything he's done."

"You forgot the Good Demon you told us about," Blaze reminded me.

"That to," I said, waving a hand absently. "Well?" I asked the returning fairies.

"We can skip ahead," Navi replied. "I just wanted to make sure there was nothing to worry about. You'll want to go back to your own or your Hylian form though, I picked up the sense of two Bubbles on the other side of the door ahead, and they're best dealt with from a distance.

I changed to my own, loading the crossbow in advance, then she warped us over to the door again. In the next room, which was just the covered, closed bridge seen before, I shot the two Bubbles with light bolts – interestingly enough, causing them both to turn into purple rupees, worth fifty each. While I shot them, Navi again went ahead, waiting for us at the door.

"There's a powerful presence ahead, Silver," she told me. "I don't recognise it, but it's probably another mini-boss."

"Another one? Ghirahim wasn't joking when he told me Majora was trying to get rid of me. Shame he wasn't counting on any of us though," I added.


	53. A Dark Shade

Navi had warned us there was a powerful presence in the room we entered, but that wasn't entirely accurate – there were in fact two. The room itself was lit by some unseen source, but even as we entered it started to darken, drawn away by one of the two figures awaiting us.

It was much like the typical 'grim reaper' people picture – a large, robed figure with cruel, yellow eyes wielding a large scythe. Beneath the floating, empty robe in place of any legs was a single glowing golden orb that seemed to be what was collecting the light. Around it flitted a flock of chittering bats.

Not far beside him, leaning indolently on his sword, was a far more familiar sight. Exactly as I remembered him, still bearing his darkened version of my Hero's green, my Dark counterpart waited with an amused smirk playing over his features. The only difference to before was that he wore the crown of Igos, left skewed slightly.

"Well Silver," he drawled. "I see you finally got here."

"You again!" Navi said in a low tone. "Don't you ever get tired of annoying me?"

I looked to Navi, startled, and Dark laughed, "You missed that, didn't you Silver? Navi and I have crossed paths a few times since you two went your own ways."

"And never in a good way either," she flared. "It was you who set those bandits on me, wasn't it?"

"Naturally," he replied. "What did you do with them, by the way? I never found out?"

"They failed to take into account what I can do, Dark," she answered. "The ground they saw _looked_ solid, but it was far from it. Last time I saw them, they were trying to fly. The canyon was fairly deep, so I imagine they had plenty of time to learn."

Dark actually chuckled at that, shaking his head. "You're almost worse than Silver himself, little fairy. Of course, right now he's not even a match for me, not after Majora stole his mind."

"You're working for Majora now then?" I asked.

"Don't be stupid," he snapped. "I don't work for anyone. I persuaded him to leave me alone by finding a piece of a Demon blade here for him and gave it to him. I heard you found the rest, so I imagine he has the completed blade by now."

He met my eyes for a moment and there we stopped, staring each other down. Almost absently I handed Blaze my crossbow.

"Don't lose it," I told her, not taking my eyes off Dark. "You'll probably need it to face that thing."

"You're going to face me?" Dark said incredulously. "I know you Heroes are top-full of courage, but you know what you're up against Silver. You can't face me."

"Bet?" I said quietly. "Navi?"

"Right beside you, Silver," she answered immediately. "Tael-"

"I'll stay with Blaze," he said quietly. "I don't think I want to get involved with him."

While I took out the Mirror Shield and Gilded Sword, Dark still had the Hylian Shield and his darkened Master Sword, which was likely considerably more of a threat. His was, I hoped, just a copy though, and since he still had the adult appearance I'd last faced him with, I had the benefit of the five years left between now and then.

We both went a ways from Blaze, Tael and the creature with the bats. I felt Navi's presence guarding me from any direct mental attack, and I also felt Dark test those defences, pushing at them to find a weak spot.

My attack came without warning, I waited until I caught the feeling of an attack on Navi's mind and lunged for him. His shield whipped down to shove my sword down out of harms way, then his own sword descended. Rather than block, I quickly darted back past its reach, then stuck again, aiming for his sword arm.

He drew his arm back quickly, narrowly missing my strike. He squinted as a brief blaze of light marked the impact of the light bolt in the other battle. I felt Navi retaliate at last and Dark stumbled back. Rather than take advantage of that, I quickly dipped into the pouch and brought out the Goron mask, changing forms before his startled eyes.

His momentary surprise gave me the opportunity to take a swing for time, denting his hastily raised shield. He struck for me but the Goron body is essentially a rock, and I simply let the blade hit my hand, closed my fist around it and then jerked it from his grasp.

Suddenly unarmed, he lashed out with his own mind, striking swift and heavy blows against Navi's protective barriers that prevented him from attacking me directly. I closed in on him, fists swinging, but he was quick enough to evade that. I needed another trick again, something else he wasn't going to expect.

Another blast of light caused him to shield his eyes with his now free sword hand, and again I used it to change form, this time to Mikau. The Goron form had power, but the Zora one was that of a trained, Zora warrior, and fighting was in his blood.

I swung both arms to send my fins soaring for him, Navi taking an idea from my book and subtly guiding them toward him. One caught him straight round the head, the other just after divested him of his shield. Then, as he recovered from the first blow I kicked him in the groin causing him to double over, then kneed him in the chest, making the breath whoosh out of him and finally slammed both fists down hard, one on his back the other on his chest.

Dark collapsed to the floor, groaning in pain. Just for good measure I gave him another solid kick to keep him down for a bit, then turned my attention to Blaze's battle.

The creature was keeping its distance, but the bats were now flocking around Blaze, who had discarded my crossbow and was dancing and weaving through the bats as she skewered them. They were keeping her too busy to pick up the crossbow and attack the creature in its prone position.

I reverted to my own form, retrieving my sword and running for it while it was distracted. It turned, seeing me but was too late as I drove the sword into the glowing gem, causing the creature to writhe in a soundless scream. The bats quickly turned to come after me as I tugged the sword back out, which was the next mistake as that in turn allowed Blaze to fire one more Light bolt into that same glowing sphere.

The sphere exploded, restoring the light back to the room brightly and burning away not only the bats, but also the strange creature itself. It went thrashing all the while until it finally burned away, leaving only it's scythe clattering to the floor.

"Gods I hate this job," Dark groaned from behind us. He was on his knees, still clutching at his chest where I'd kneed him. Blaze looked to me, but I waved one hand to suggest she leave him.

"If you don't like it, why do it?" I asked him.

"Blame the idiot who made me," he replied between breaths, wincing with each one. "I'm tied to whoever the current Hero is. I take on their appearance, gain their skills. Originally so I could help him, but I managed to weasel out of that one. I can't break the tie altogether though."

"That still doesn't answer my question. You faced me back in the Water Temple – though I'm not sure if you remember that."

"Of course I do. I have to stay at the same point in time as you. If you travel forward, so do I. If you play that damn song, I have to start the three days again as well. If your other fairy friend thinks he has it bad, travelling time with you, he should try what _I_ have to put up with."

"What a shame," I said insincerely. "Anyway, like I was saying. I faced you there. I've faced you here, and I gather you'll face Tails too. If you know this is going to happen, why keep doing it?"

"I told you. I have to do something. I rebelled against him, and that defined what. I'm doomed to face you Heroes every time there is one. And you, fairy," he said, wincing again as he stumbled back to his feet, using a wall to steady himself. "You have no idea how much I resent you. You got to learn the hard way like Silver did, I just got given the skills. You can learn and adapt, I'm limited." Dark shook his head, "I'm no match for you any more. Either of you."

"You'll be going your own way then?" I asked him.

"Yeah, just give me some time to recover from this. Do you have any idea how painful that felt, Silver?" He stared at my benign smile for a time then sighed, "I thought so. Go away Silver. Take the boss key from through there," he gestured vaguely, "And go away."

I nudged Blaze to do that, keeping an eye on Dark just in case he wasn't as hurt as he looked and decided to try anything, but aside from retrieving his sword and shield, he made no move to impede us any further.

"On other thing, Silver," he called as we made to leave. "When I was dealing with Majora, he let slip. There's a mask hidden somewhere here in the Temple. It only works in one place, and if you don't have it you'll find the boss of this place far harder. Don't you dare lose to it."

"Me?" I said injured. "Me, lose?"

"I know, I know. Just go get on with it."

Outside the room as we crossed the bridge that had had the Blue Bubbles on, Blaze asked, "Just who was he, Silver? He looked like an older you?"

"He's just someone who's the opposite of me – or whoever hold the title of Hero at the time," I replied. "I'll meet him in about five years time back in Hyrule, which is why he looks older. Like me, he's come back from that time. I lost the seven years between the future and the present though, and it looks like he didn't."

"You've faced him before then?"

"Like I said, in about five years time. I had the benefit of my mind then though. Where to next, Navi?"

"There's a few places left to go," she replied. "There's a door ahead that takes us out in a different part of the entrance. After that we flip the Temple back, collect the last four Stray Fairies, flip it again and find the boss. Just carry on following my directions, I won't get you lost."


	54. The Great Blade

It took us only a few moments to return to this new part of the entrance, and there was very little actually here. Another Death Armos patrolling near a floor switch. Navi helped draw it toward me, then when Tael pointed out a far smaller version of the red emblem on it, I shot it with a Light bolt – causing it to drop suddenly down into the sky, exploding somewhere far below us. Or above. Whatever.

The switch caused yet another upside-down chest to appear in the depression that I'd pulled myself up from way back when we'd started. There was a door there we could reach, but Navi told us to leave it for the moment and flip the Temple back to normal again.

On that visit, made far swifter by Navi's liberal use of Farore's Wind, she took us around each of the upside-down chests we'd seen, one of which I had to quickly become a Zora to reach. In the room with the Dexihand, I tossed a bomb over a fence on the Dexihand side to cause the last chest to appear on the other side, where once I returned to it I used a light arrow to remove the sun block, another bomb to destroy the Beamos, and then the chest to collect the Stray Fairy from it. By the time this run was complete I had all fifteen Stray Fairies and all the Temple items – except the mask Dark had mentioned.

We again inverted the Temple, and while Navi took Blaze up to the door she'd told us to leave, I simply used the Hookshot, trying to avoid making any comment on it since I knew Navi or Blaze would if I did.

Our last small key unlocked the door, taking us to the underside of the bridge in the Dexihand room, where awaiting us ahead was another Eyegore. Blaze waited until I reloaded the crossbow once again before she approached to wake it up.

Unlike the last Eyegore, this one did not throw rocks – it shot beams from it's eye, Beamos style. Blaze was able to evade them easily, but as long as they were there I couldn't get it. Navi reached ahead to solve that, giving it a smack upside the head, which made it break off it's attack and stare, enraged at her. I shot, and it stumbled back.

"You're pretty good with that thing, aren't you?" Navi observed.

"Not too bad. I'd prefer a normal bow though," I replied. "Bolts move too quick for me to grasp."

"I noticed. Take aim, he looks like he's about to attack again."

The Eyegore shot beams again for a few moments before Navi hit him again, closely followed by another bolt in the eye. Like it's predecessor, it sank down, then exploded – leaving a large, gold-bound chest appearing where it had been. Inside was a grey mask that was so awkwardly shaped that there was no way I was going to be able to use it in any form except the Hylian one – and a note.

"It's from Dark," Navi told me, reading the note. "He's just telling us what we already know – the last piece of that Demon you had was in here, except he gave it to Majora so that Demon would leave him alone."

"I guess he wanted to make sure we knew in case we found it before we found him," I replied. "Anything else we need to do?"

"Just wait a moment," she told me, then with a brief green flash we were beside the Boss door. "After you," she said.

In retrospect, my apprehension wasn't as justified as I thought it was. This was the fourth and final Demon of Termina and I fully expected it to be the toughest challenge short of Majora himself.

Since Dark had warned me I'd likely need this new mask for the Demon, I changed form before I opened the Boss Door, once again becoming the Hylian boy I was so used to seeing.

The chamber beyond was an empty octagon. Carvings adorned the walls, but there was nothing here – nothing except a pit in the middle, leading down into an area I couldn't see the edges of, but appeared to be some kind of sand swept ruins. Occasional stone pillars dotted the sands, remains of structures in places, but mostly it was just sand.

I regarded it for a time, then made a decision. "You three stay here," I told them. "Once it's over, Navi can bring you down to meet me. Navi, if you wouldn't mind, I'm going to need a hand getting down there without breaking every bone in my body."

"What if you need us?" Blaze asked. "I've been helpful so far, haven't I?"

"I'm not saying you haven't. But I'm pretty sure I can handle this. After all, it's only one Demon, right?"

That turned out to be partly incorrect.

I turned and jumped down the pit, feeling Navi lightly take hold before I hit the sands below so I landed safely in what I guessed was the centre of the area. From within, there seemed to be no end to the area – the sands just kept going. The ruins, however, stopped appearing after the same distance in each direction. They still covered a considerable area, so I doubted I'd need to go that far.

Within moments of my landing the ground shook and rumbled, then an immense head burst out, followed by a segmented body. It had three green eyes, long sandy pincers and each segment of its body was a mass of tough red scales.

As I watched the earth shook again and a second one burst out, identical to the first except blue instead of red. The two immense beasts easily dwarfed me several times over, their more vulnerable looking tails emerging and showing themselves to be equally as large. How in the name of any god was I supposed to fight these giants?!

The two... things soared and weaved through the air through means unknown, though most likely it was simply magic, then crashed back into the sand, sending chunks of stone and sand everywhere. I hoped Dark's advice was with reason, with understandable apprehension taking out the mask he'd told me about and tugging it on.

As soon as it was in place I felt a surge of magic on a scale I'd never felt before. Majora had locked me out of my mental abilities, but I still had them, and they drew from the same source as my magic – and that magic drew on the reserves I'd built up and responded to the mask's own magic, surging through me. For a moment nothing appeared to happen – then I realized what was happening.

The mask and magic combined caused my youthful body to grow rapidly, swelling into immensity as the pillars that once towered over me now shrank back away from me. Everything appeared to shrink around me as I grew, the Giant's Mask, for that was the only name it could possibly have, doing its work.

Now the two beasts, which had re-emerged during this 'transformation', were not so large. To my perspective now, they had the same kind of size as I did. I was not so immense that I could simply grab hold of them, since their body was still too thick and too large for that.

The Gilded Sword, along with everyone else on me, had been scaled up with me, and while the sword was still the same size relative to me, in reality had I been able to see it from my prior perspective it would have made for a truly massive blade. Though the Giant's Mask concealed it I gave an almost wolfish grin as I cast about, spotting the red creature bursting out of the sand again and making my way for it. I brought the Gilded Sword down hard on its head, causing it to squeal with an insect-like sound even as it continued past me. I kept an eye on it as I headed for its blue friend, attacking its head, then returning to where I'd struck the red one to hit its tail – and then repeating again for the blue one.

They both dove back into the sand after those blows, bursting out again not long after. The sounds of the rumbling made it fairly easy to tell where they were going to come from, so it was that when Red emerged and looked as if it was trying to ram me, I was ready for it and rained blows on its head even as I got clear. It tried to follow, though it could only turn so far because of the way its body was made, and it was smart enough not to follow my tricks and get tangled up in itself.

In toying with it though I'd missed my chance to attack Blue, so I decided there and then to deal with them one at a time, handling Red while I watched and evaded Blue. After a total of eight blows on Red it screeched, soaring up further above me, then somehow stopping in mid-air – and then in a kind of chain reaction, the tail exploded, then the segment past it, then the next, until only the head remained, crashing down into the sand in defeat.

Now I didn't have the distraction of two of them I was able to focus my full attention on Blue, going after it and striking whenever I had the opportunity. It tried several times to retaliate, but was just as limited as Red had been, and it was too easy to evade it. After several more blows it too finally succumbed to my attacks, dying away in the same manner as Red had done.

The two heads had landed on either side of the stone slab I'd dropped down onto, and as I approached they both vanished with a flash to become one, much smaller mask awaiting me near the blue light of the portal that would lead out. I headed over to it before I removed the mask – reluctantly, because it was actually fun, stomping around as a giant. Due to my immense size I still had to run a fair way from where I was to reach the stone again, by which time Navi and the others had already descended to meet me.

"Are you alright?" Navi asked with concern as I joined them.

"Of course I am. That was great fun."

"He's fine," Blaze sighed. "You can tell, he's making light of it again."

I gave her an impudent look, retrieving the final Demon's mask.

_"Hail, Hero. We meet at long last,"_ it greeted me. _"I am the Demon Twinmold, the Demon of many bodies. You have freed me from my torment under the service of the Demon Majora and all Ikana is grateful to you. As you will soon be aware yourself, with my demise the ill winds that emerged from this Temple are even now dissipating and permitting the dead to seek their rightful place. But though you have emerged victorious once again, you must not let your guard down. Even as the Demon Gyorg warned you, Majora is aware of you and knowing that you possess the four of us, the childish Demon will act rashly. None alive may tell what he may do, but you must be prepared for it. And now Hero, place me with my fellow Demons and step into yonder portal that you may also free the Guardian whom I was forced to imprison and make all preparations you need, for your next fight lays with the Demons Majora and Ghirahim themselves. On, Hero – on to victory for the greater good of Termina!"_ he thundered.

"You're enjoying this, aren't you?" I accused.

_"Oh, hush. I've wanted to say something like that for centuries."_

"I'm glad you enjoyed the moment then," I told Twinmold somewhat tartly, and stowed him away.

Interestingly, the blue portal only took me and Tael to the strange place where the four giant Guardians, now freed, awaited us. Like the first Guardian I'd freed, it made the gesture suggesting I should call them.

"Don't worry," Tael told him. "We haven't forgotten. We'll call you, and you can stop the moon, right?"

The Guardian nodded, then reached out one lanky finger to protect himself through the Ocarina of Time, and we were sent back, arriving back in Ikana itself alongside Navi and Blaze – it was as if all that had only happened for Tael and I.

Just as Twinmold had told us, my mind came rushing back as the spirits of the dead were permitted their rest at last, departing Ikana for good – until the next time I played the Song of Time, anyway.

I quickly scanned about to find the one thing I had left to see to, locating the cavern mouth that led into the local Great Fairy Fountain. Navi and Blaze both started back as the fifteen missing Stray Fairies returned to their brethren, coming together to flash into a Great Fairy, as scandalously clad as all her sisters.

"It's about time," she said cryptically. "The Demons warned you about Majora?"

"They've been doing that from the start," I sighed. "Only now it sounds like Majora's a bit childish when irritated, and I've irritated him."

"You're understating it, Silver. There's no telling what he may do, particularly not with the Demon Lord in his hands." She pursed her lips for a moment, looking oddly troubled, then said, "My sisters and I don't do this very often because of the risks involved, but I think they'll understand my choice to do this. Hold out your hands Silver, and receive the greatest gift the Great Fairies can give. Palms up," she corrected me absently.

She reached forward, her hands glowing with a shimmering aura of light that never stopped changing colour as she ran them over the air, starting beyond my hands, passing them, then bringing them together. The light remained where her hands passed, then coalesced into a blade that rivalled Biggoron's for size. It still never settled on any one colour, constantly shifting and changing except for the ornately carved black roses down its length. It was not as heavy as it looked, though the sheer size meant there was no way I was going to wield it except two-handed.

"This is the Great Fairy's sword," she told me. "It rivals even the Master Sword of Hyrule in power, as it is filled with the power of all Great Fairies in all lands and even all times. We rarely speak of it, and give it out even less often because the sheer power within it could be severely misused. But, even as the Demons have told you, you are at a severe disadvantage here, and with Majora running out of options he may put ever more dangerous obstacles in your path. Take our blade with our blessings for your own good – but take care, you _must_ return it to us when your tasks here are complete. We all trust that you will not betray our trust in loaning you this blade, Silver."

The speech itself coupled with the revealed power held in this blade, awed me to the point that for the first time in my career as a Hero, I was left completely speechless.


	55. Missing Person

The Great Fairy's Sword was arguably one of the greatest treasures I ever possessed at any one point in time, and after a brief mental touch on it sent my mind reeling back from the power held within it I firmly put my thoughts away from it and put it away lest I become too tempted by it. It was there to help when I needed it, not merely to be some toy.

Out of habit, before I played the Song of Time I leafed through the Great Fairy enhanced Bomber's Notebook, noting with some interest it had changed slightly since the last time I looked in. Where before it only showed an idea of where to find each person pictured, now at each point along the three days it followed there was a small square for each event with them. Lines extended from each to cover the times in which I could cover them.

Some of the events glowed faintly blue, and when I touched one to find out why I had my memory refreshed and understood – my possession of the Ocarina of Time and the mask – or in a few cases other items – protected not just that item, but the event itself. People would remember it happening, even if I wasn't there.

Those that didn't yet glow were obviously ones that I had not done on this particular three-day cycle and were not saved as such. There was a considerable amount of overlap in their events, but it looked like if I really wanted to, I could probably make use of my control over time, if not the assistance of Blaze and Navi, to meet each of them. The people of Termina _would_ remember me and all I'd done, I decided.

Of course, I counted that without the effect of the last five faces to finally become clear. One I recognised from my extensive and frequent visits to Clock Town as Mayor Dotour, and next to her was the woman I long assumed was his wife, Madame Aroma.

The postman, ever dependable, came next – while he was dedicated to his job, he was at least not so madly dedicated as the one Tails knew, though I've often wondered if they're related. I imagine their dedication leaves them little time to find a wife though.

Lastly there was the face of the manager of the Stock Pot Inn, Anju, and a boy's face I didn't recognise. The initial events of each of these faces had already long since passed, something I wasn't surprised about.

"Well, Silver?" Navi asked. "Where to next?"

"When, Navi," I corrected meticulously. "Hopefully the Goddess of Time understands and will bring you two along with me, because that'll avoid any paradoxes allowing you to meet yourself and also let you start these three days with me."

"And if not?" Tael asked.

"We keep out of their way until it's safe to," I shrugged. "Navi will be coming here sometime today and travelling back to yesterday with Blaze to visit the Temple, we'll intercept them before then and let them know there's no need."

"You don't have to explain Silver," he told me. "It's hard enough trying to understand you as it is. Just play the song already, and make that Dark up there hate you some more for it."

I laughed, then paused before playing the Song of Time and said, "Ladies and fairies, next stop the Dawn of the First Day. Please keep all limbs inside the time-stream at all times, and don't distract the Goddess until we arrive at our destination."

Blaze sighed, "How did you ever put up with him?"

"Badly," Navi replied, trying not to laugh too.

Since the two of them did not vanish when I played the song and all turned white, I assumed I'd been allowed to bring them along with me. Various sounds filtered in as they always did, recounting once again the events leading up to my arrival in Termina. There was the peculiar sense of falling while not moving at all, then at the 'base' of this time-stream, there were the destinations.

To my surprise, Ikana was among them now. Clock Town, the Deku Palace, the Goron Colony, Zora Hall and the courtyard of Ikana Castle. I had thought that since no one but the dead were there, there would be no need, but something had decided otherwise.

Since Clock Town was likely to be where most of the last events took place, and it would attract the least attention except for Ikana, I picked it and we emerged out front of the Clock Tower, time starting on its stately course as the last white faded and life started to carry on as normal, oblivious to the sudden appearance of the four of us.

I appeared Hylian, so barely got a second glance, but Blaze couldn't conceal herself so readily and got a number of looks.

"I'd forgotten about that," she confessed. "It was like this last time I was here as well. The locals just aren't used to seeing people like us."

"Don't let it bother you," I told her. "Just be glad you aren't a Deku Scrub in all this. Breakfast first, I think. I could do with something to eat and a quick break, and if I remember right the Mayor's residence isn't open until eleven so we've got time for that."

"Ten o' clock actually," Tael corrected. "It's always slightly earlier during the carnival because there's so much to do."

"Close enough," I brushed it aside. "Lets go find something to eat to pass the time."

* * *

"You never neglect your stomach, do you?" Manic observed. "Ezlo and I had a bit of a fight over that once actually," he laughed. "I found a bakery and nicked myself something to eat. He couldn't decide whether to have a go at me for stealing or for not stealing him anything."

"What stopped you fighting?" Silver asked curiously.

"I stole a slice of pie for him. He stopped having so much of a problem with me after that. Still complained and regularly told me I was being irresponsible, but I guess the pie convinced him to lay off a bit. At least until I got that," he chuckled, nodding toward the Four Sword. "One of me was bad enough, but four drove him to distraction."

"Do you suppose we could wait for Silver?" Tails asked. "Only there's not that much left to tell, I imagine."

* * *

At just before ten we trooped through town toward the north-eastern part of town where the Mayor's Residence was, along the way spotting someone who looked a great deal like the Gormon brothers I'd seen before, but in much finer garb. He strode toward the Residence with a self-important, if somewhat distracted, swagger, paying little attention to us or anyone else around him.

Aside from not getting in his way we left him alone and headed on in after him. Signs told us Mayor Dotour's office was to the left, while the chambers of Madame Aroma were to the right. Gorman spoke with the Mayor's secretary for a time in a rather ingratiating voice, while I listened at the Mayor's door.

"... isn't that right mister mayor?" a voice was demanding.

"Ah... well..." another said tentatively, then a third broke in.

"Are you mad, Mutoh?" it said bluntly. "Maybe that chunk of rock hasn't caught your jaundiced eye yet! Mayor Dotour sir, you must order an immediate evacuation of the town. The sooner we get away from here the more of us will survive the impending calamity."

"Ah... well..." the mayor repeated non-committally.

"Flee if you wish, Viscen," the first voice said derisively. "We'll stay here and laugh at your cowardice. The carnival will go ahead, as it always does, and your silly superstitions will be proven to be unfounded."

"Superstitions?" Viscen spluttered. "Mutoh, have you taken leave of your senses? The town is overrun as always, but there are still far less people on the streets than usual – because of the moon! There are nearly no Gorons or Zoras or Deku Scrubs – because they're all staying at home, because of the moon! How can you be so blind to the world around you?"

"There are three days before the carnival," Mutoh said flatly. "They'll be here Viscen, just you wait and see. Wouldn't Madame Aroma agree, mister mayor?"

There was a thump of someone hitting a desk, then the mayor's voice coldly said, "Let's _not_ bring my wife into this debate."

I left them to it, smiling to myself. I suspected I knew what I had to do to help the mayor, and it'd better be done after the next time I played the Song of Time, because I already knew I was going to need it at least once yet.

"What are you smiling about?" Tael asked as I rejoined them.

"I've just been listening to the wonderful game of politics," I replied. "There are some people with the mayor debating whether to stay or to flee. We can leave them to their senseless argument for now. Where did that guy go?"

"He went in to see Madame Aroma, but left again just now," Blaze answered. "He looked like he'd just received some bad news. It could just be me," she said, holding up one hand. "But I swear I heard a Zora voice in there. There was a kind of warbling like you had when you looked like a Zora."

"Maybe you'd better steal Mikau's form again," Tael suggested. "Only not here – you might scare the secretary."

"Lets hold off on that for the moment," I said. "We've got plenty of time, so if we find out I need to we can always come back again. Madame Aroma needs help with something, and I've been helping people, so..." I went over to the secretary and said, "Is the Madame busy right now?"

"She's with the Zora band manager, Toto," she told me. "But Madame Aroma has no appointments for the rest of the day, so if you want to speak to her, go on in."

I gave her a few rupees for her trouble – yes, I can be generous, and it's not as if I had a shortage of them – and led my friends into the parlour room where Madame Aroma customarily held audience.

I recognised immediately the plump Zora Toto, the Indigo-go's band manager, though I reminded myself that he not only wouldn't remember me but also wouldn't recognise me – I wasn't Mikau this time.

Madame Aroma was a singularly imposing woman in a floral dress and fascinating orange hair that seemed to move of it's own accord as she herself constantly fidgeted in her well-padded chair. She'd been talking to Toto, but as we entered she gave us a calm, friendly smile along with an almost piercingly curious look.

"Madame," I said, ducking my head slightly. "Excuse me for interrupting."

"Oh, not at all," she insisted with an airy wave. "Toto and I can catch up anytime. And you are?"

"My name is Silver, Madame, and these are my friends – Blaze, Tael and Navi," I introduced them each in turn. "But I'm the one who wanted to see you Madame. I've heard rumour suggest you needed some help with something, only the rumours vary wildly and really aren't very useful, so I thought I'd come right here and get the real story from you."

"And you're willing to help? Just like that?"

"Of course, Madame. In the village I'm from, we're always told if we have nothing to do we should see who needs help," I lied. Giving my Hylian form a bit of history to go with him wouldn't hurt, I decided.

"You don't appear to be from here, young man. Your clothes alone suggest far more rustic origins. Have you been here long?"

"More than a week, Madame," I replied, which wasn't exactly a lie – the fact that it had been the same three days could be overlooked, after all. "I come from the far off land of Hyrule, and more specifically the Kokiri Forest. All Kokiri children look as I do, and all Kokiri have fairy companions. They help keep us out of trouble, if nothing else," I said, glancing to my to fairy friends.

"Perhaps then you can help indeed. I had hired someone to look into the matter for me, but alas he has not arrived – perhaps the presence of the moon is to blame, I cannot say. But nevertheless, you are correct young man, and it hardly matters who assists – only that assistance is rendered, wouldn't you say Toto?"

"I couldn't say, Madame," Toto replied tactfully. "We Zoras look at the world slightly differently to our human friends."

"Oh nonsense, we find plenty of common ground between us!" Madame Aroma laughed richly, then from a chest beside her chair she drew out a mask that had human features so realistic on it I wondered for a moment if it might be another transformation mask – but it had none of the magic presence about it that such a mask would have. It had pale features and long blue hair framing it.

"A mask, Madame?" I asked to cover my intrigue. "Whatever for?"

"I had it made specially," she told me. "It resembles my son, Kafei, who has gone missing – and at a bad time as well. On the day of the Carnival he was to be wed to Anju. He spoke of nothing and no one else."

"A story echoed many times, but never so well as between those two," Toto noted. "Were the band here, at least one of them would find inspiration for a song."

I didn't doubt that, having experienced a piece of Mikau's life myself.

"You must take this mask, young Silver. Use it to inquire about him and find my missing son. I must know what has happened, and I have little doubt that Anju herself will be beside herself with concern."

"Is there anything you can tell me that would help, Madame?" I inquired, taking the mask from her.

"You should have plenty to go on – you need not ask for a description as the mask itself is made in his likeness, and knowledge of his impending wedding was widely known in town because they insisted it was to be on the day of the Carnival of Time."

"Maybe we should start by talking to Anju then," Navi suggested. "We don't want to keep Madame Aroma too long."

I thanked Madame Aroma for her time and trust in me. A missing persons issue wasn't likely to be _too_ hard – right?


	56. Investigation

Once we left the Mayor's Residence Tael and I headed for the Stock Pot Inn, while Blaze and Navi went together to ask other folk about the town what they could tell us. This left them without Kafei's mask, but Navi neatly came up with the solution to that. In a peculiar reversal of roles, she taught me how she'd been transporting herself and Blaze around, something that I'd previously thought impossible without at least a little time-travelling.

Then, once we had that down I left an intangible mark on Kafei's mask that would allow both of us to detect it and therefore transport it to each other as needed, and Navi and I could make sure it was safe to take it by keeping in mental contact with each other.

At the Inn, I found Anju on the front desk looking understandably preoccupied.  
"Excuse me," I said, catching her attention.

"Oh, I'm sorry! I was miles away..." she apologised. "Do you... have a reservation?"

"Me? Oh no. But don't worry, that's not why I'm here. Madame Aroma's asked me to find Kafei for her, and I gather you were going to get married to him. I thought it'd be a good idea to ask you if you could help."

"You're looking for him too then," she said rather distantly. "I haven't heard from him since he went missing though. It was just after all the strange things started happening – the Deku suddenly all went home, the north going all frozen... those sorts of things."

"You think it might be related?"

"I don't know. But it seems like a big coincidence, doesn't it?"

"True. I'll look into it for you. If you need me again, just ask about for Silver – that's me – or my friend, Blaze. She's the strange looking creature also going around with a fairy, and she'll know how to reach me."

We left Anju to run her Inn then, heading back out into town. It hadn't really given us anything new as such, except to suggest that Majora was involved somehow.

"Silver," Tael said thoughtfully as I wandered rather aimlessly. "You can control how much you do with your mind, right?"

"To a fair degree of accuracy, yes. Why do you ask?"

"Would it work on the Mask of Truth?"

"I'm not going to try and experiment with that again, Tael. You know what happened when I used it the first time, and that was in the middle of the swamp. Now imagine what'd happen if I did it here of all places."

"It wouldn't be for long, Silver. You'd only need it long enough to find out if Kafei's in town. You'd just have to look for thoughts of Anju."

"You're still asking a lot, Tael. I'd hear the immediate thoughts of everyone in Clock Town, and that'd be overwhelming. I don't know how the mask's magic works, and to control something you have to understand it."

"What's to understand?"

"Never mind, Tael," I sighed. "Navi might understand, but she's capable of the same things I am. I'd have to explain too much to you."

"Are you saying I wouldn't understand?" he demanded indignantly, but I waved him into silence, feeling a familiar touch.

_"Silver, we've got something here,"_ Navi's voice sounded. _"One of the workmen near the Clock Tower says he saw a boy looking like Kafei come from the Laundry Pool, but he can't be sure because the boy was wearing a mask – and what we've learned so far suggests Kafei is much older than the boy he saw."_

_"Does Kafei have any brothers? That might explain the resemblance."_

_"Not that we've heard so far. I'm pretty sure Madame Aroma would have told us. Do you want us to look into this, or should we?"_

_"I'll handle it," _I decided after a moment. _"We're headed that way anyway."_

_"Talk to the big guy retrieving the lumber for the construction then. He's the one Blaze just talked to."_

I relayed the conversation to Tael, who seemed to recognise the boy Navi mentioned.

"Him? Wearing a Keaton mask?"

"A what mask?"

"It's a kind of creature that resembles a fox but with many tails. Keaton masks are pretty popular among little children."

Am I the only one who's first thought there was Tails? Probably not.

"Navi didn't say anything about the mask he was wearing, but I don't imagine there's many people who resemble Kafei. You know him?"

"I know _of_ him," he corrected. "You can ring the bell to get him to come out of the door there, but he won't talk to anyone and he'll run back inside if anyone goes to talk to him. Skull Kid used to tease him a bit not long after he found the Majora's Mask." He paused then, hovering in mid-air instead of following.

"What's up now?" I asked.

"I just realized. Tatl and I were here fairly often, and I don't remember ever seeing that boy until _after_ Kafei went missing, and that was about the same time I guess Majora started manipulating him into doing what it wanted. Sometimes we woke up in the mornings and he'd gone, but he'd always come back. Maybe that boy really is Kafei, and Majora's responsible for that?"

"I'm not very experienced with magic or Demons and what they can do, but I wouldn't rule out the possibility. Changing someone's age by either though..." a thought occurred to me then. "The Kokiri never aged," I said, thinking aloud.

"Who're the Kokiri?"

"Forest folk who inhabit the Kokiri Forest over in Hyrule. I lived with them for a time before I started my career as a Hero. They all appeared to be children no matter how old they got. Whenever I used the Temple of Time to go forward seven years, the Kokiri always looked exactly the same. Saria once told me that Kokiri don't age, but in time when they've been around for a long time, they just fade away."

"Fascinating, but I don't see what it has to do with Kafei."

"You know I can tell the difference between a Goron mind and a Zora mind and such, right?" Tael bobbed in the fairy version of a nod. "The minds of the Kokiri were virtually identical to those of Hylians – or humans as you people call them here. Something was stopping them from ageing, or maybe something was making them younger at the same rate they were getting older. I still remember the song that lets me talk with Saria – if it works this far away from Hyrule, maybe I can ask her."

"Not here then," Tael said. "Too many people about. They might mistake you for someone just playing music for their entertainment as they pass."

"That's alright – we're heading for the laundry pool anyway."

Once we got there I took a seat on the bench as I always had before, noting with some curiosity that this time, someone had put some laundry out on one of the lines. Then again, I had only ever really stopped by here much earlier in the morning or at night, so I could have missed that entirely.

Before I called Saria I sent my mind searching the area, finding the minds in the area. The shopkeeper in the Trading Post, who was rumoured to also run the neighbouring Curiosity Shop, was easily located, giving me a frame of reference. I searched about and found another adult mind I wasn't familiar with – this being Clock Town though that wasn't remarkable, I barely knew anyone here. Other than them though, the only minds I could sense were those bustling up the street nearby.

So instead I played Saria's Song, something I hadn't done for quite a while, and wasn't surprised when Saria's first words to me were, _"It's about time. I was starting to think you'd forgotten me."_

_"Never that, Saria,"_ I laughed. _"I've just been a bit busy. Seems there's a place here that's living in fear of the moon falling, and there's a Demon responsible for it. You know what I'm like, so I decided to give them a hand."_

_"And you only just now got around to calling me?"_

_"I'm sorry, Saria –I'll make special note to pester you more often in future,"_ I teased.

_"You're impossible,"_ she accused. _"Now why don't you tell me what _really_ inspired you to call me, Silver? And don't pretend you were just doing it out of courtesy, I know you better than that."_

_"Would I do a thing like that?"_ I protested innocently. _"Actually, I've run across a bit of a curiosity. Seems there's one Kafei who's supposed to be getting married, only he's gone missing. A workman told me he'd seen someone who resembles Kafei, but only looks like a child."_

_"And you were wondering if that's possible by magic,"_ Saria completed. _"Silver, you lived with us for how long? And you have to ask that question? Didn't you think there was something persuading us not to age?"_

_"The thought never occurred to me until just now, Saria."_

_"I thought so. Obviously it's possible Silver, but whoever did it would have to take exceptional care. I imagine from what you're telling me the one responsible isn't always around the boy?"_

_"I haven't checked actually, but since the likely culprit has been trying to get in my way a lot – I'm thwarting his plans, after all – I imagine that's the case."_

_"Right. So what's likely happened is that he youthened Kafei back to childhood, and he's since been ageing at the natural rate. That simplifies what he'd have had to do somewhat, but he'd still have to take care because if you're not careful, you'll only change the age of one part – either the physical part, or the mental part. So if he did it wrong, you could end up with an adult's mind in a child's body – or a child's mind in an adult's body. If you're using your mind to look for him, don't discount you might be looking for either."_

_"It sounds complicated. I don't think I'd want to try it myself. Thanks for helping like this Saria."_

_"No charge – it got you to call me at last. And Silver... come home sometime, won't you? Somehow, the forest doesn't seem the same without you around. Even Mido isn't his usual self without you to pick on."_

I laughed again and replied, _"Tell him I'll be back for him to bully as soon as I've finished up here and found my way back again. I'm sure the prospect will make him feel better."_

_"You're impossible,"_ she said again. _"Take care of yourself Silver."_

_"Don't I always?"_

_"You're a Hero – you need to be reminded from time to time, otherwise you only get into trouble."_


	57. Evening Encounters

I poked about a bit more after talking to Saria, finding the workman Navi had spoken to and his workmates and making a few more inquiries, but I didn't really learn anything new. One suggested I try talking to the postman, but that proved to be an exercise in futility.

Anyone who stopped him on his rounds was treated to a brief word that he didn't have time to stop because it'd disrupt his schedule, and when I went to the post office – which astonishingly, he ran by himself – and tried to speak to him there, he was so engrossed in his work, sorting the mail and doing some kind of training he felt necessary that he didn't even notice me.

We'd already agreed to meet up together again at lunchtime and we had time before then, so I took the opportunity to track down one of the Bombers themselves and see what they knew, keeping to my apparent humanity because my very first encounters with them told me they'd respond better to it.

Interestingly, they told me they did know where Kafei was, but couldn't tell me anything – not even as a Bomber myself – because it was up to Kafei to decide that, and they didn't bother him needlessly. I even went and talked to Jim to try and persuade him to help, but he steadfastly put his little foot down and told me that they couldn't say anything. It was helpful in its way, while also at the same time being completely useless.

Navi directed me to a quiet back-street café where she and Blaze had waited for me, mostly because I was apparently the only one with any rupees to pay for lunch, and over that we filled each other in. Like me, they hadn't actually found out anything new as such, but given that Blaze had been continually met with apprehension or curiosity, they hadn't been able to get as much done.

"What did you find out in the Laundry pool?" Navi asked me.

"Not very much, until I gave Saria a call. She had a quick complain at me for not calling her sooner."

"Saria?" Blaze asked.

"A Kokiri girl who took quite a shine to Silver," Navi explained. "If it hadn't been for her, the rest of the Kokiri would never have accepted him. What else did she say, Silver?"

"You know that boy you mentioned? He could well be Kafei. Saria patiently explained the details to me. It's possible, though very complex, to change someone's age by magic, and the Demons can probably do anything magic can. She also warned me that we can't just count on searching for a child's mind though, because if Majora didn't do it right, even on purpose, he could have an adult's mind but a child's body – or the other way round, but the boy seems to suggest not."

"We tried the door down there when we figured that was the only place we could go," Blaze said. "But it was locked from the inside, and Navi didn't think it would be a good idea to just pop in there."

"There's a sign there too," Navi added. "But it talks about business for the Curiosity Shop. I don't know what that's about."

"I don't think it's worth poking our noses into there just yet," I decided. "I could wear the Stone Mask to make everyone ignore me and Tael so we can have a look, but until we know more I don't want to do that. The problem is, we don't have anything more."

"Hey, Silver," a little voice told me – perhaps by coincidence, one of the Bombers had come to find me, hopping up on a nearby chair so we could all see him. "Gotta message for you. Y'know Anju over at the Inn? She wants you to meet her tonight at half-past eleven in the kitchen, and she said to tell you it's about Kafei."

"Did she say anything else?"

"Plenty, but nothing for you," he shrugged. "She's like you, she knows we know, but she doesn't like that we won't tell. Kafei's choice, anyhow. If you really must know, she got a letter Kafei sent to her – but that's all I'm telling." And then he gave me a pointed look. He might have been young, but he had his head on straight, that's for sure. I gave him some rupees for his trouble, which he dutifully noted down in his own Notebook – he had helped me after all, and that was what was supposed to be put into it – then ran off again.

"That goes with what we found out earlier," Blaze murmured. "The workman said the boy he saw was putting a letter in a postbox. The postman likely picked it up on his morning collection and delivered it just now."

"Anju likely doesn't know though," I mused. "It doesn't seem like there's anyone else on her staff, so she isn't likely to have heard about this boy who might be Kafei. Getting a letter from a missing person, and her fiancée to boot, must have come as a surprise to her."

"You're going to stay up and meet her, aren't you?" Tael sighed. "Don't you Heroes ever go to sleep?"

"I'll go with him," Navi said. "You go ahead and rest."

"Rest where, Navi?" Blaze asked. "I won't have my reservation until tomorrow, remember?"

"Pick a tree," I shrugged.

"You said what?"

"Didn't Navi tell you about that? In Hyrule I often picked a nearby tree to spend the night in. It's not exactly the most comfortable place to sleep, but at least you won't have to worry about any monsters on the ground and you don't even have to pay for it."

Blaze stared at me flatly.

"I'll show you a place," Tael told her. "We used to use it often, and it's not nearly so uncomfortable. Skull Kid found it first, and he shared it with Tatl and me when we became friends."

"At least someone is thinking straight," Blaze muttered. "A tree indeed!"

* * *

I found out later that night that Anju gently evicted anyone who wasn't a guest from the Inn at half-past eight, but the Stone mask – which affected Navi even as it had Tael – kept her from noticing me. Three members of the Gorman Troupe staying here borrowed a key for the door, their only concession to my presence being not to walk into me. They were clearly aware of me, they just didn't notice me.

Once Guru-Guru and the two Rosa Sisters has departed, Anju locked the door, and went for the kitchen. I went on ahead, quickly taking off the Stone mask before she got there, so when she arrived she'd see me waiting, perched on a table.

"Won't she notice the difference between me and Tael?" Navi murmured.

"I don't think so, it's me she wanted to see," I replied. "I'll explain if we have to." Then Anju rounded the corner and came in, not surprised to see me already here. "I got your message," I told her by way of greeting.

"I knew you would," she replied. "The Bombers make good messengers, if you pay them. I don't mean to trouble you so late at night, but The Bomber I talked to suggested it should be kept quiet, and now the Inn has closed for the night, now is the only time I get the chance."

"I understand entirely," I reassured her. "It's not the first time I've had to stay up late, and I can get by on short sleep if I need to."

"Little boys always say that," she chuckled, then turned serious. "I got a letter from him in the post, just after lunchtime. It's a bit strange, getting a letter from someone who's missing, but there's no mistaking it's from him."

"How can you tell – if you don't mind my asking," Navi asked. Anju glanced at her and frowned briefly, but appeared to shake it off.

"We have a sign we always put in our letters," she explained. "It started before I knew it was him. I used to get letters he'd signed with it. Then when he finally told me... anyway. I've... written a letter back to Kafei. I've put it in the postbox just outside already. When the postman makes his rounds tomorrow, I want you to follow him. He must know where Kafei is, and if he does, when he receives the letter, you should be able to meet him."

"That could be a bit risky, Anju," I warned. "If we sneak in, he'll be surprised to see us."

"No, I know him. Kafei has always read his mail as soon as he gets it, often while walking back home. He'll read my letter, which tells him about you, so when he finds you waiting for him he'll already know. Tell him I'm waiting for him – it's in the letter too, but a more personal touch... and when you've seen him... please, I have to know how he looked."

I couldn't tell her what we suspected just yet, and even then I couldn't be entirely sure how she'd take it. Since Kafei had told the Bombers not to say anything, I figured since I was meeting him anyway, I could see what he said about it.

"I'll do what I can for you, Anju," I told her. "Don't let me keep you up – just leave this with me, and I'll come back and see you once I've met him."

Back outside, I decided to head for the Laundry Pool early, since there was a fair sized tree there, the trunk of which served as one anchor for the laundry lines. I could take a nap up there until morning, and hopefully have enough time to find Blaze and Tael before I met Kafei. I'd left them with enough rupees to get their own breakfast if we didn't meet up before then, so I wasn't too concerned.

I had to change my plans slightly though as Guru-Guru spent the night practising his song for the carnival, and there was no way I was going to be able to sleep with that going on, so instead I headed for the north of town where the only other suitable tree was. I'd taken a nap there before, at least.

That turned out to be a bad idea as well, however. I'd missed Sakon trying to steal the bombs from the old lady at the bomb shop, so there were a few people milling about discussing what had happened in a hushed voice and a few guards – which meant that if I was going to take a nap in the tree, I was going to have to climb it the hard way, or use the rather noisy Hookshot.

I got no further than half-way up before a guard tugged me back down again, turned me to look at him and gave me a disapproving look.

"What are you up to, boy? Why aren't you at home?" he demanded.

I held back the retort that jumped to my lips, remembering my form and calming myself at least enough to act the part.

"'cause home is a long way from here, mister," I replied. Navi shook slightly, clearly trying not to laugh at my impression of a surly kid. "I'm visiting for the carnival."

"Do your parents know you're out late?"

"Dunno," I shrugged. "They don't even know I'm here. So long as I carry this to protect myself if I need," I said, pulling out my sword slightly. "If I got it, they trust me to know what I'm doing."

"They trust you with a sword?" he asked incredulously. "How old are you?"

_"Twelve,"_ Navi's voice sounded in my mind. _"All Kokiri resemble a Hylian child of twelve, and your form is no exception – even if it is Hylian and not Kokiri."_

"Twelve," I told the guard aloud. "They given me some instruction with it so I know what I'm doing."

"At the age of _twelve?_" he asked again. "Just where are you from, boy?"

"Over in Hyrule, in the Kokiri Forest." I spotted an opportunity to explain, so spun a story part of fantasy and part of truth for him. "We got a village in the woods, and the forest spirits keep it safe from the monsters outside, but if we wanna go anywhere, like into town to get stuff we can't in the forest, then we gotta watch out. So everyone grows up knowing how to use some kinda weapon, otherwise we can't leave the village safely. I wanted a bow, but my parents told me I was too small to use one, so they got me a sword instead."

"That's a very ornate sword for someone so young," the guard observed.

"I know," I nodded, inventing yet more on the spot. "I done a competition up at Hyrule Castle once. They do them sometimes, and 'cause they know about us, there's special rounds for us kids. I entered one for the sword and won, and they gave me this as my prize."

It was hard to say if the guard believed what I was telling him as he listened to these fictions, but after a few moments he recovered and asked, "Alright. Just supposing for a moment you're really competent with that sword and your parents know you've gone travelling. What are you doing trying to climb a tree?"

"Isn't it obvious?" I asked in a childishly superior tone. "Whenever I go anywhere, it's sometimes hard to find places to stay – and not all of them accept rupees too. So whenever that happens, I just climb a tree at night and sleep up there instead."

"I think we can do something about that," he decided after another pause. "Come with me boy. I'll take you to the guard house. Our cells are better than a tree, and you don't have to look at me like that – you aren't being arrested, and the cell won't be locked. You can at least sleep comfortably tonight." He paused again then added, "I _will_ be confiscating your sword until you leave in the morning though. I'm sure you understand I can't let you go around the guard house with it."

"But it's my sword," I protested, not out of any real objection but because it was in line with the act I'd been putting up.

"Oh, stop that, you'll get it back," he told me.

"Well, what if another guard comes along and thinks you've forgotten to lock me in and locks me in?" I persisted, enjoying irritating the guard like this.

"I'll put up a note telling them so they don't," he told me flatly, his tone clearly indicating he'd overrule any objection I cared to raise, taking all the fun out of the event.

I wasn't entirely happy about this, but at least if his word was true I'd have a slightly more comfortable night's sleep – what was left of the night anyway.


	58. Meeting Kafei

Despite my own views and objections about the way things turned out, I had to admit that even though it was indeed a cell, the guard hadn't been wrong when he told me it was at least more comfortable than any tree I could have picked. My sword was confiscated as he'd warned, though with the pouch still with me I still had Biggoron's and the Great Fairy's swords if I really needed one. They overlooked that however, not knowing the nature of that pouch.

The door was left deliberately wedged open as if in mute response to the objections I'd raised and although I was sleepily aware that they did bring in a few others in the night, they at least kept the noise down to the point I actually got a very good night's sleep.

When I got up, Navi quietly told me, "Remember who you are, little kid."

""As if I'd do a thing like that," I replied with wide-eyed innocence. "Wonder if they'd do me breakfast here too."

"Honestly Silver, sometimes I really do wonder about your morality," she sighed. "It never seems to stay the same from one minute to the next."

"It's in keeping with the childish character, Navi," I replied piously. "A kid would never pass up the opportunity for a free meal."

Navi didn't seem convinced, but couldn't say anything because a guard passed by, paused, then leaned back. He wasn't the one I'd seen the night before, but he appeared aware of what had happened.

"See you're up at last," he noted. "There's still some breakfast left over in our cafeteria. If you're anything like my own kid, you're always hungry when you wake up."

"Naturally," I replied with a smug glance to Navi. "Most important meal of the day. Any chance I could get my sword back now?"

"After you've eaten. I'll talk to our man on the front desk for you and have it brought up so you can pick it up when you leave. Can you read and write?"

"Some," I said somewhat warily. "Why?"

"Records. We need your name and your mark on a bit of paper so we know we've given it back to you."

"I think I'll manage. But first I think I want something to eat."

"Little kids," the guard sighed reflectively. "All alike. Come on, I'll show you the way."

"Navi," I murmured, stretching before following the guard. "What time do you make it?"

Navi didn't answer, flying up toward the front of the guard house to find one of the ever-present clocks, then flew back and answered, "Just gone nine, and it sounds like it's raining."

"Yeah, it always rains here on the second day. We don't have anything to do until the postman makes his delivery round."

"Wait around until three in the afternoon then," the guard told me over his shoulder, apparently catching the end of the conversation. "Go on in and get your breakfast, I've got to get back on duty."

There were a few other guards in the cafeteria, but they all appeared to know of me and had no issues letting me sit down with them. While I ate, I leafed through the Notebook, using some of the later pages to start penning in a rough idea of what events I could handle without having to travel time too much. Blaze's presence allowed me to cover a few more, but with the first events with Anju and Kafei now clearly visible, I clearly saw there were going to be a lot of conflicts. Maybe my attempt to help as many as possible would have to be cut back a bit.

I also noted that a few new lines had appeared linking certain events in a red line. It appeared that one of the events I had yet to reach on Kafei's line was linked thus to the robbery in North Clock Town – given the red, perhaps an event that I was going to have to allow to happen in order to continue in helping Kafei? That was also going to hinder any attempts I made.

Eventually I gave up and just scribbled down the names of a few people I'd decided needed the help most of all and left it at that. Once it was done I glanced out at the rain, then glanced out with my mind to find Blaze, who was with Tael not far from the more familiar presence of Anju's mind – she'd take her room at the Inn. I could take shelter there from the rain before I had to meet Kafei.

Once I'd had something to eat I retrieved my sword, leaving them with a few words scribbled down from me – prompting Navi to note that while I could read Hylian better, writing it was still a bit of a disaster – then headed off to meet up with Blaze, while trying not to get too wet. At least as a Hylian boy, I didn't have to worry about getting any fur wet.

* * *

Since Blaze naturally didn't like the rain and as much as I enjoyed Navi's company she wanted to stay out of the rain too, it was Tael who once again accompanied me out to the Laundry Pool just before three, making use of the tree there to shelter from most of the rain. I was fairly certain this was the place I had to look for Kafei, since this was the place all our information told us he came from to post his letter the previous morning.

Sure enough, not long after three, the postman came down the path and rang the bell that was there for business at the Curiosity Shop. Tael and I waited, then from the door emerged the boy we'd been hearing about. While Kafei wore a Keaton mask as described, it was not enough to conceal his distinctive hair that identified him. I touched on his mind briefly and found the sense of an adult mind. Majora, either deliberately or accidentally, had only youthened his body.

While he ran to meet the postman, who already had Anju's letter ready to give to him, I used my mind to avoid making any sound, floating over to the door which had been left open, then going up inside, hoping that he'd still have time to read his letter before he got up here, since I doubted he'd open it in the rain.

After a time I heard the door close and footsteps on the stairs leading up to the small room at the top that contained little more than a small lamp, a rough bed and a few small crates. A mask built into the wall allowed him to see through it into the Curiosity Shop beyond.

I picked a box out of the way to perch on and wait for him, still reading when he came into view. He gave me a brief glance, said nothing, then sat down on the bed to finish reading.

"You're in this letter, you know," he said eventually, his voice clearly that of a child, but with the inflections of an adult. It made for a peculiar mix. "And the Bombers told me about you too. You must know who I am if you're here."

"Kafei," I nodded. "I'm Silver – in case Anju didn't say. I'll keep things a secret if you want it that way."

"For now," he said, taking off the Keaton mask. His features weren't identical to that of his mask, but I put that down to the mask being based off his adult features. "The Great Fairy also told me about you, when I went to visit her. You don't have to look human just for me, you know," he said with a faint smile.

"I prefer not to change in front of people," I said to cover my surprise. "Besides, I don't attract so much attention like this. If you don't mind my asking though... the Great Fairy?"

"I went to see her after this happened to me. I woke up suddenly one night a few weeks back to find an imp wearing a strange mask in my room. It looked at me, that mask crackling, and I didn't understand – until it vanished and everything looked different. That was when I realized I'd been turned into a child, and I ran and hid – I couldn't let Anju or mother see me like this."

"So you did what anyone in Clock Town would have – you went to the Great Fairy," Tael said.

Kafei nodded and continued, "Only it made me vulnerable. That thief Sakon," he spat, "Stole from me the mask I made for my wedding with Anju on my way there. That's why I'm here – he tries to pawn off things here to the Curiosity Shop, and when I see him I'm going to follow him. The guy who runs it knows everything, and if Sakon tries to sell my mask to him he'll have it in my hands and the guard on his back in moments."

"You're getting a little sidetracked there. The Great Fairy?" I reminded him.

"Sorry. Just that thief... anyway, I still went to see her. She told me to place my trust in the one in green, who could appear as human, Goron, Zora or as some creature she called a hedgehog – you. She told me that if I got your help, I'd be helping you in return."

He watched me expectantly for a time, and I thought. I could find Sakon with relative ease and shake him down, but his wiry figure meant it'd be hard for him to conceal anything on his person. Likely he'd put it somewhere safe – and when I'd gone to Ikana, I'd found his hideout.

"I know where he might have hidden your mask," I told him, reaching for my map of the area and pointing it out. "That'd be the place to look. I can go and look if you want to keep an eye out here."

"No," he told me almost immediately. "I have to get my mask back myself. You..." he thought, then took off the pendant around his neck. "I promised Anju I would be here, no matter what, for the wedding. I'm... afraid that with me missing and the moon falling, she might run. So I want you to give her this and tell her I won't break my promise. I'll meet her, just like I told her."

"Kafei, I can help you get to Sakon's hideout and back quicker," I persisted. "It won't take me long to deliver this."

Kafei clearly thought hard about it for a long moment, considering it before he finally shook his head and answered. "It's what I have to do, Silver. I'll keep in touch with the guy who runs the place. If I ask him to, he'll get one of the Bombers to tell you to meet him here, and he'll pass on any message for you. Probably it'll just be if I can't do it myself or if I'm concerned I'm not going to be back in time, to let you know. The Great Fairy said you could help with time, so if I need more time, I'll definitely call you."

"In that case then... take this," I told him, handing him the Stone mask. "When you wear it, people will look right past you. No one will notice you at all."

"What if we need it, Silver?" Tael asked.

"I'll find another way," I replied. "I've managed without it before, I'll manage again."

Kafei wordlessly handed me his Keaton mask in exchange along with the pendant, then afterwards simply told me, "I'll get word to you if I need you. Don't worry."


	59. Ballad of the Wind Fish

Anju was surprised when I gave her Kafei's pendant, but accepted it with the promise that she would wait for him to return, no matter how close the moon came to falling, then again asked me what he looked like. I couldn't tell her what I'd seen exactly, but I had enough to work with so I could tell her the truth – to a point. There was no indication in what I said that suggested what had happened.

"Starting to see what Navi meant about your very flexible morality," Tael noted when we left. "You go between honesty and lies far too easily."

"My morality is just fine," I said, faintly injured. "I can justify my choices to do, or not do something without having to bend it too far."

"Whatever you say, Silver. What're you going to do now though? There's nothing we haven't already done going on, and Kafei told you not to go help him unless he wanted you to. And you gave him the Stone Mask, so you won't know where he is."

"East of town, coming up on the entrance to Ikana," I replied absently. "The mask doesn't work on me, and even then it can't fool my mind. I thought I'd better keep an eye on him – metaphorically speaking."

"Sometimes Silver you're so clever you make me want to hit you," Tael said acidly.

"You're welcome," I said with a broad grin. "Anyway, I have no idea what I'm going to do. It might be nice to have some free time for once. Maybe I'll even go find the local kids and go back to my own childhood for a little while."

"Why me?" Tael said in exasperation.

"Because you stayed back to stop me following you," I said, grinning slyly at him again.

"Oh, shut up Silver!"

* * *

I soon discovered that because of the moon, my being a Hero and the fact that I just can't get used to sitting around with nothing to do, I spent the rest of the second day going and re-terrorising the Deku Palace, heading to the Woodfall Temple and taking on Odolwa again. Now I knew his moves he wasn't nearly so challenging, and wielding the massive Great Fairy's Sword only made it easier. The Great Fairies had warned that Majora was actively opposing me now, but oddly enough I didn't actually see any evidence of it as such.

Then again, part of the problem with that might have been because I didn't bother to travel around like usual, I just hopped about with the Farore's Wind part of the spell crystal and skipped over everything instead. I imagine I drove Majora wild – alright, wilder – with that, as whatever he was trying to do had to be picked up and carried to where I'd gone, only to find it had only been one point on the way.

Then since I _still_ had time to spare and I didn't want to play the song of Double Time to move ahead – I could bear Dark's dislike of it, but now I knew Tael didn't like it either, I wanted to cut back on that a bit – I went and got a Moon's Tear again and exchanged it for the title deed for the Deku Flower near the Clock Tower.

Just as he had the time before, the Business Scrub told me there were others who'd love a piece of prime city real estate, so I took that as the next minor challenge to occupy my time. I exchanged the town title deed with the Deku Scrub outside the Swamp Tourist Centre for the Swamp deed, this Business Scrub casually remarking that he had a friend up in the Mountains that had been trying to get it off him for a while now, but never had anything to offer for it that he wanted.

That made him my next destination, though since as a Deku I didn't like the cold I took a side-trip up to Snowhead yet again and went and destroyed Goht for the third time now, then went and looked up the Business Scrub – who had found an out of the way place not far from the Goron Colony's entrance.

Since he knew the value of this title deed – at least to him – and I had a fair idea, not only did he give me his title deed for it, but also an upgrade to the bomb bag that let it hold more, and in the event I came across Bomb Flowers again, could also take a ripe one and convert it into a bomb, stored inside for later use. I hadn't seen any such flowers in Termina yet, but that didn't mean I wasn't going to see any eventually.

He didn't tell me where to find the next Deku Scrub, but given the way I'd found them so far, and the order in which I'd restored the Great Fairies, I suspected I'd find the next one somewhere in the Great Bay. Since I never passed up the opportunity to go Zora and swim, I was content to swim along the coastline, searching with my mind to find the tell-tale signs of a Deku mind – and found him, of all places, in Zora Hall.

When I got there and, once again, had to fend off Zoras both curious and fans, I finally found that out of all the places in the hall this Business Scrub could be, he was in the most puzzling of all – Lulu's room. I just had to give him a look to make him start squeaking stuttered explanations, until I told him he'd give me his land title deed, and I'd take his from him. After seeing my expression, he was only too happy to leave it at that.

I did glance up into Ikana, keeping to Mikau's form in the hopes that Kafei, if he did spot me, wouldn't recognise me. I caught the sense of his mind up near Sakon's hideout, and not far from him Sakon himself – but there were no Deku Scrubs up this way. It was probably just as well, since I didn't particularly approve of the idea of letting a Business Scrub and a stranger too the bit of parchment that entitled them to the Deku Flower in Lulu's room.

Since by then it was getting late, and inhabiting Mikau's body once again had given me an idea, I wandered back to Clock Town where, to my relief, the late hour meant I only had a started guard ask for an autograph and no one else bothered me, and headed to the Milk Bar. Even as Mikau I still needed to prove membership, but the Romani's Mask I'd obtained before covered that.

Toto and Gormon were both here, as they had been before. Gormon did not appear to be taking the cancellation of his performance well, but as a non-member he couldn't buy a drink. The owner had at least been compassionate enough not to ask him to leave.

I again caught up with Toto, only this time when he mentioned he wanted to do a sound test, I presented an idea to him.

"I've got a few friends who are here in town for the Carnival," I said, appearing to be thinking out loud. "They've got their own instruments, and although they're not the same as the real thing, it should be enough, wouldn't you think?"  
"Depends on what they play, Mikau," Toto said, but he appeared interested. "What do they play, between them?"

"My Goron friend Darmani plays the drums, there's a little Deku guy, Silver, on some pipes, and young human boy called Link who has an ocarina. I can cover guitar, of course. I can go talk to them – I'm sure they won't mind being bothered at night to lend a hand, not if it means they get to pretend they're the band instead."

"It's workable," Toto conceded. "I'll talk to Mr. Barten and see about letting them come in with you. You go round them up, and we'll give it a go."

Almost as soon as I was outside, Tael was on my case again. "What are you up to, Silver? Where are you going to find people on short notice?"

"The Elegy of Emptiness, of course. Remember what King Igos told us? I can spread my mind between them. It'll be a bit of a challenge at first, but-"

"Hold on. You've only got one instrument Silver, and it changes depending on what form is holding it. What are you looking for now?"  
"A safe place to create the shells without attracting attention," I replied absently. "And anyway, it's the Ocarina of Time, if it can't use that to help me, I can use it to handle things without causing a paradox. Which won't actually be easy anyway, but I'll handle it."

"Here we go again," Tael sighed. "Go up on top of the roof of the target shooting game house," he told me. "No one will see you up there."

I was a little dubious about that, but trusted what Tael was telling me. It didn't take me long before I had my one-mind band, and was already struggling to keep my control over each of them separate. I picked up on the senses of all of them, seeing, hearing, smelling and feeling everything through all of them at once, and that was troublesome enough. It took me a bit longer to get the hang of moving only one of them at any one time, or making sure I spoke out of the right one.

Naturally though since it's an aspect of my mind, and I'm very good with such things anyway, I eventually overcame the challenges presented, at least well enough for what I had in mind, and after only an hour, which I'd attribute to having to get them all up and get them here, we all headed back to the Milk Bar.

I think Toto was a little startled to see my little band, and my hulking Goron shell clearly unnerved him a little. He put that aside as any professional does when there's work to be done and had each of us play the separate parts he wanted us to do together. The Ocarina of Time cooperated, allowing each of them to hold a different instrument together, though for me it presented another challenge – I was about to play four different melodies on four different instruments in four very different bodies – all at the same time.

Using the Goron shell to conceal what I was doing I put my human one behind him and quietly played the inverted Song of Time, slowing time to the point it appeared stopped, giving me plenty of time to practice so that no one, not even Toto himself, would be able to tell that his four musicians only had one mind between them. Once I was certain I could do it, I restored time's normal flow and took up the positions he'd marked out with the spotlights.

Gormon, through all of this, had steadfastly refused to look at us, and when Toto was telling us what to play, he'd frequently made disparaging remarks. When the whole tune came together with Toto conducting, using a stick he normally walked with as a conductor's baton, Gormon roused himself from his personal strife with a stricken expression, looking over at last.

"That song," he said, his voice thick with emotion. "I know that song... it brings back so many memories..."

"It's the band's old standby," Toto told him. "'The Ballad of the Wind Fish'. It's been in the band for generations, and it was made famous by the previous generation."

"It was this song that made me enter show business so long ago," Gormon mused, possibly not even aware of what Toto had said. "I wanted to meet them... but I didn't want to be just another fan. I thought that by doing performances I might get to meet them, maybe even work alongside them – the one who sung most of all. Her voice..."

"You must mean Lulu," I said, ensuring I spoke through Mikau as another hidden nugget of knowledge from him made itself known to me. "The mother of the current Lulu. We like to keep the name running, and Toto says it's good for the band's image too."

"So her daughter is the one singing now?" Gormon asked, half to himself. Toto nodded his assent. "I'd like to hear that... if the performance hadn't been cancelled. I wish I could hear it again..."

Taking care to ensure that what I did next only came from the real one among the shells, which was still in Mikau's form, I headed off the stage and murmured to Toto, "I've got an idea. I'll explain later," then moved to Gormon, still lost in thought. "Gormon," I said, trying to get his attention, but it was clear he didn't hear me. "Gormon, there's something I want you to hear." Still he ignored me.

I gave up at that point, taking out the guitar once again and playing the inverted Double Song, affecting him as well as myself, taking us back past the normal three days. While his thoughts were still as erratic as any other sentient mind, I caught enough flashes of his memory to know when I was taking him, keeping a strong mental lock on our original time and the moment exactly after we'd left.

When we emerged from that time stream, we stood in the Milk Bar of several years past, and I'd moved us to the only safe location in the bar, in the shadows by the door. Gorman started back quickly, looking about wildly until I put a hand on him.

"Easy," I told him. "It's alright. Just watch and listen. Don't get involved."

Gormon stopped and stared, his face registering his dawning understanding as the band, the previous generation of the band, took up their places and instruments on the stage ahead of the packed Milk Bar.

Toto had only had us play a small part of the band, though Mikau's own memories contained the complete song, but here, hearing the previous band play it on the night Gormon had first heard it himself, neither one did the song as much justice as they did. Not even I could fail to be moved by the performance, and Gormon even wept openly as he heard the voice of the singer he'd wished to hear again.

When it was done, I quietly used the Double Song to take us back to when and where we'd left, noticing as we arrived that the shells had flickered very slightly between the two moments, becoming empty shells again until I restored my touch on each of them and kept my mind diffused so no one would notices the lapse.

Gormon leaned back on to the bar stool, trembling violently and staring at me in awe. After a few silent moments, he pulled out a mask that looked identical to him and wordlessly offered it to me, then turned back to the bar once again lost in his thoughts and refreshed memories.

"What happened?" Toto asked me curiously. "I didn't see anything."

"It's a special song I learned from him," I said, nodding to my human self. "It allowed Gormon to re-live his memories of hearing that performance, to the last detail. I thought it was the least I could do for him."

Toto, perhaps moved by that, spoke with Mr. Barten and despite Gormon not being a member, persuaded him to let Gormon drink there himself. I then politely excused myself – several times – and told Toto I'd see my 'friends' back home before I also went and got some sleep for the night, allowing me to dismiss the various shells and bring my mind back to only one form. It had been interesting, but it was very hard on me, and not the kind of thing I wanted to do every day."


	60. The Last Masks

The third day dawned noisily to the accompaniment of the usual mad dash of those who rightly believed the moon would fall and were therefore fleeing from it. Some few businesses remained open for those who wished to stay, though there were several conspicuous absences. The teacher of the swordsman's school in the west of town, who was reputed to constantly speak of his bravery, had skipped town for one.

Others insisted on staying, mostly out of a sense of duty. The guards absolutely refused to leave their posts as long as there were still people in town, and the only thing that was likely to stop the Postman was a direct meteor strike. Killing him would probably result in him coming back from the dead to carry on.

As usual, no matter what form I occupied, people persisted in telling me to flee with the rest of them – though some took my own natural form and Blaze's appearance as a bad sign, since many mistook us for monsters. No amount of persuasion could make people change their minds about that, so eventually Blaze just went back to her room in a foul mood, and I just changed form again. At least I had that alternative.

I felt the presence of Sakon coming back to town, perhaps to take advantage of the lack of crowds to do a little looting, but I wasn't concerned with him. I paid closer attention to Kafei, who was _still_ outside Sakon's hideout, and I had no message from him at all. By lunchtime this was bothering me, by mid-afternoon it was really starting to get. What was he waiting for?

I didn't like cutting it this fine. The absolute limit I had was, at most, the dawn of the next day, marking the moment Termina would cease to exist. That gave me only six hours past midnight, and it was already getting on toward sunset – twelve hours at most.

My mind was at long last set at ease as Jim himself, the last Bomber to leave town, found me before he left and gave me an envelope with a very ornate seal on it.

"It's priority mail," he told me quickly, evidently wanting to go already. "Give that to the postman and he'll deliver it immediately. It's from Kafei, and I just got word from him for you. He wants you to go and help him immediately and mail that afterwards, otherwise he doesn't think he'll have time. You'd better hurry Silver, it's a long way from here to Ikana."

"Don't worry," I told him bleakly. "I have certain advantages. If you're going, go now – I'll handle this."

Jim didn't even bother to reply, running for the nearest gate. No matter how much I did or didn't help on the next run through, one thing I was certainly going to have to do was make people realize I was going to make running unnecessary.

I briefly warned Navi what I was doing so she could keep Blaze informed, then warped up to Kafei using the spell crystal, once again amazed at the reach I had in its enhanced form. I arrived just outside Sakon's Hideout, which even had a sign marking it as such, and at first glance there was no-one around.

A second glance told me that there was something unremarkable hiding behind some nearby rocks that was trying very hard to make me not notice it, so naturally I noticed it. I checked the area briefly, finding a fair amount of refugees further down the canyon and the dead still present, but other than Kafei's mind there was no one else here.

"You can take the mask off," I told the unremarkable boy. "There's no one around but you and me."

Kafei stopped being so unremarkable as he took off the borrowed Stone Mask, returning it to me as he rounded the rock.

"The Bombers said you were strange, but appearing out of nowhere is no mean feat," he noted.

"Normal fare when you're with me. Your message sounded urgent, so I didn't bother doing it the normal way. What's the problem?"

"That," he replied, pointing to a large slab set into the rock. "It's the entrance to his hideout, but since he's gone back to town I can't get in. I tried when he came back last night, but it didn't open far enough – or long enough – for me to sneak in after him."

I gave it a look, then reached out to Navi and silently asked, _"How far can you take yourself, Navi?"_

_"I've never found out,"_ her startled reply came back after a moment. _"Why, what's up?"_

_"I need your ability to sense places, old friend. I'm outside Sakon's hideout and I need to know how far to go to teleport us past it."_

_"About twenty paces," _she said. _"Blaze and I found it when we went there and we decided to explore it. There was an interesting mask there, but also a floor switch that triggered a trap. That probably won't have been triggered since we haven't been there on these three days."_

_"Thanks, Navi. You've just saved us both a lot of effort."_

_"What I'm here for,"_ she replied smugly. _"Go play, Silver. Just don't take too long."_

"Who were you talking to?" Kafei asked curiously as I started for the slab door.

"You could tell?" I asked, startled.

"Your lips were moving slightly as if you were talking, and your eyes were distant. It wasn't hard to notice," he told me.

"He's observant, isn't he?" Tael remarked. "My guess is he was talking to Navi, a fairy friend of his. What did she say, Silver?"

"She just told me what I needed to know – how thick this is so I can safely get us past this door. Don't step on anything suspicious once we arrive, she said something about traps."

Kafei looked on with interest, not that there was anything to see as such. Since he knew I was unusual, I didn't bother to mask what I was doing as a form of magic and using what I'd learned from Navi, I picked us up and deposited us on the other side of the door.

The chamber beyond was carved out of the rock to form half of a dome, and scattered about were various finds Sakon had looted. Given pride of place ahead of us however was a glass display case with a stylized sun mask within – and right in front of it, a floor switch. Two doors lay on either side of it.

Kafei almost ran for the mask, but quickly remembered my warning and noticed the switch, instead picking his way to one of the safe sides, selecting a rather ornate looking sceptre and bringing it down on the glass case. It shimmered slightly with a low hum, but did not break.

"Magic," he spat disgustedly, discarding the sceptre negligently. "Trust him to make it difficult for us. Can you..." he asked me, making a mystical gesture.

I reached out, only to find that the same magic barrier that had blocked him also blocked me and shook my head. "We'll have to play this his way. Just be aware and be ready for anything. Lets try the switch and see what happens."

Kafei stepped on it, switching it grudgingly because of his younger body's weight. Immediately an alarm blared, the door to the right opened, and the back wall of the case dropped, revealing a glass lined conveyor that started to take the mask away.

I joined Kafei on the switch, then quickly directed him to the open door.

"Go with him," I told Tael. "You'll be able to see anything before he or I will."

Tael followed, and I listened as I waited.

"What's with these stone blocks?" Kafei complained.

"They're concealing a switch in the middle of them," Tael told him, flying above. Shove any one of them toward the rest, it'll hold it down."

"I'm just a boy, fairy, I can't shove them that hard!"

"Just push them, Kafei!"

I sighed to myself. I could have played the Elegy of Emptiness to give him a hand, but after the effort of managing four at once, I needed time before I tried to do more than one at once again. Kafei was managing to shove the stone block into place though, and while the mask continued on, it hadn't yet passed the second wall.

The stone block opened the left door, and I went through with Tael telling Kafei not to worry about the closed door behind him. On my side of the first room there was a single Deku Baba, which was easily vanquished with only a single blow from the Gilded Sword, opening the second door for Kafei.

While he and Tael again argued this time about switches, apparently finding some red and yellow ones that sped up or slowed down the conveyor respectively, I vaulted over the glass case back into the first room and moved a crate on to the first switch to keep the door open, then headed back just in time to see my door open, letting me into the second area.

Here there were two more Deku Babas and the mask, half way through this area. If we kept up this pace we'd catch it at the end with no problems. Defeating the two Deku Babas again opened Kafei's door, and they moved on and argued yet again. This time there were move blocks involved.

Tael gave Kafei an idea of the puzzle from above, and I listened forming a mental image of it myself at the same time. It seemed that no matter what they did, they'd have to trigger a red switch, but if they left a stone block holding down a yellow one nearer to it, it'd immediately be countered.

It seemed odd hearing them solve the puzzles, first mentally then physically, and I wondered if that had been what it sounded like when I'd been doing it, with either Tael or Navi. It almost felt like I was the outsider along for the adventure, not the Hero.

In my next room there was a Wolfos, which though more of a danger than the Deku Babas, was also easy to handle. It was just a case of presenting my shield for it to scratch at until it left itself open, then stabbing. It forced me to wait for that opportunity twice, and I spotted Kafei looking on anxiously as the mask started to pass into this room even slowed.

Once it finally fell he again moved ahead. Rather than having to wait, there was the sound of him stepping on a switch to open the door ahead of me right away, and I went on in to find this was actually the end. He quickly directed me to a second switch waiting for him in this loot littered chamber.

The end of the conveyor had been a pit, but with both switches triggered it closed off. Given how long we had to wait, I knew I had time to collect various items and such to keep the switch triggered, allowing me to take Kafei's place, and Kafei to wait patiently for his mask to return to his hands.

"At last," he sighed with clear relief. "I almost thought I'd never get it back. Now I just have to get back to town."

"Let me help you again," I said. "I can take you with me the same way I came here. You'll be back in town in a matter of moments, and you won't have to worry about it getting stolen again on the way, or running into Sakon."

"I don't really like the idea of using magic," he started. "But I guess you have a point. Take us back, Silver."

I briefly called ahead to let Navi know we were returning, then used the spell again to take us all the way back to down into Clock Town, onto the veranda just above the Stock Pot Inn's front door. Blaze and Navi were still here in their room and came out to meet us as we passed, hurrying toward the door marked for employees only.

There inside was Anju, beside her a clothes dummy bearing her wedding gown and in her hands a silvery Moon Mask, the opposite to Kafei's Sun Mask. She was startled by the sudden appearance of the five of us, but understood as she saw me, the two fairies, then her gaze lingered on Kafei. She needed no explanation to see past what Majora had done to him.

"I'm sorry I'm late, Anju," he apologised lightly, almost running to him.

"They look almost like mother and son," Navi observed quietly as the couple talked.

"If you defeat Majora, will what happened to him be undone?" Blaze murmured to me.

"I honestly don't know," I replied in kind. "But if it doesn't, I won't have the moon hanging over my head limiting how much time I can spend looking into it. If all else fails I'll ask the Great Fairies."

"Silver," Anju called to me. "We need you a moment."

The two turned to me, their respective masks in hand as I approached.

"We have decided," Kafei told me. "We want to be married now, so we can see whatever the dawn brings without regrets. If the moon falls, at least we will be together."

"And because of that... we need someone to be our witness," Anju continued. "After all you've done for us, we want that to be you."

"You don't have to do anything special," Kafei assured me with a slight smile. "We'll exchange our masks as symbols of our vows to each other, and they'll combine to create the Couple's Mask – and as our witness, you carry that. We would show it around the town, but..."

"I understand," I told them simply. "Go ahead – while there's still time."

The two then exchanged their masks with ceremony, each holding out their own first with one hand, taking hold of the other's with their other hand. As the two masks passed each other, actually passing through each other to the hands of the other, a third mask appeared before them, a shining white mask with a Hylian symbol on it that was one of the more complex ones, with meanings encompassing almost everything to do with a couple – a very appropriate symbol. That was then passed to me.

"Take refuge, Silver," Anju told me. "We will be safe here. Whatever happens, we'll see it together."

Before I left, there was one thing I felt I had to do, taking out the Ocarina of Time.

"Touch on this, each of you," I told them, then told a little white lie. "For luck, and the best wishes for your future."

I actually felt the flow of time shift to accommodate the events I was effectively preserving with this. It's a peculiar sensation that can't really be described – but I felt it and knew for certain that my gift to them, however unknowingly it had been received, would ensure that no matter how many times I played the Song of Time, these events had been saved and they would be reunited.

To ensure that was the case I also made sure the Couple's mask got the same treatment, then quickly hunted for the Postman, who was cowering in his office – wanting to flee, but unable to because it wasn't on his schedule.

"I need you," I told him. "I've been given this mail, and it has to be delivered."

The postman looked up, looking despondent at first until he saw the mail.

"This is priority mail!" he exclaimed. "I must deliver this at once!"

"Would you accept a little aid in getting it delivered quickly?" I offered as he crammed his hat back onto his head, stowed the letter in the postbag and started for the door.

"No. The mail is my responsibility alone," he told me firmly.

"At least he's dependable," Blaze observed. "Are we really going to stick around to wait for him Silver? The moon is getting just a bit too close for my comfort."

"As he says, the mail must be delivered," I shrugged. "I'll take is back to the first day as soon as I'm certain there's nothing else to be done."

We caught up with the postman at the Milk Bar, now opened to everyone due to the moon, where Madame Aroma waited. She received Kafei's letter with surprise, then scolded the Postman and realized that she would have to order him to flee – which he then did so.

He did stop beside us before he left, looking at me speculatively before he spoke. "I have been freed of my duty by the Mayor's wife," he said. "I have no further need of this. I hope it will be useful to you."

And with his own version of ceremony, he took off his postman's hat and gave it to me, not pausing to see anything else happen as he ran through the unguarded gate.

As for us, I was certain this was all I needed to do now. There was only one person left to help, and I could do that best on the first day, so while he fled Clock Town for whichever destination we had in mind, I turned back the clock one more time, and possibly for the last time.


	61. To the Moon

I actually spent the majority of these three days catching up on my rest. As I've said many times before, I can go without sleep for a while if I need to, but eventually that'll come back and my body demands sleep, with interest.

So it was that while I didn't achieve as much as I would have done otherwise, I made use of the same effect I'd applied to Anju and Kafei, saving certain events so that, when it came to the last ever run through these three days, I wouldn't have so much to do. As before, I was determined to leave my mark here.

Blaze and Navi also kept busy, enjoying themselves going to the other Temples to see how they'd have fared against them. I occasionally got disturbed by Navi's voice asking how I'd handled something or subtly trying to get me to give them a hint, but for the most part they were fine. They did not, however, go up against any of the boss Demons – that, Blaze had insisted, was my job alone.

Once I'd done all I could and was feeling well rested we once again travelled back, and I planned out what I wanted to do. Among the many events left were of course defeating the four Demons once again, just in case it really would help against Majora and Ghirahim.

Making use of all I'd collected and the various songs I'd learned here in Termina, I first went to the Great Bay coast, re-awakening the giant Turtle, restoring Lulu's voice and then going off to play with Gyorg. Like all the Demons, having fought him once before made it much less of a challenge to handle – but then, it was still in many ways a bit of a novelty to be able to fight a boss a second time.

By the time I'd finished playing with Gyorg it was coming up on ten in the morning, which was exactly what I wanted. I quickly headed back to Clock Town, keeping to Mikau's form and using the Stone Mask with it to avoid the trouble I'd otherwise face, making my way to the Mayor's office and deliberately slowing Gormon down a bit so I could get there before he found out the bad, and out of date, news.

I brushed past the receptionist, who looked started at my apparent sudden appearance as I stowed the Stone Mask away and let myself into Madame Aroma's office, making some show of having just run through town.

"Mikau!" Toto exclaimed as I entered. "What are you doing here? You're supposed to be looking for the Zora Eggs!"

"Don't worry, Toto. I've seen to that already. I hurried back here to let you know – we don't have to worry about Lulu's voice any more."

"Thank the gods!" he sighed with clear relief. "I was half afraid we'd have to cancel."

"Was there something wrong with her?" Madame Aroma asked with curiosity, then remembered herself and added, "Do forgive me dear. I'm Madame Aroma, the mayor's wife."

"Mikau knows who you are, Madame," Toto told her gently. "You met last year, remember?"

"I have so many details to remember," she confessed. "Sometimes I miss a few."

"Indeed. In any case... Lulu _had_ lost her voice, and we thought it due to the Gerudo pirates stealing her eggs, but Mikau, being one of our proudest warriors as well as the band's guitarist, went out to solve the entire situation."

"That's not all," I added. "Part of the problem was up at the Great Bay Temple. I've gone up there as well and solved the problem there too."

"Really?" Toto asked with interest. "However did you manage to get there?"

"Ask the giant Turtle out back of the hall with Lulu," I said with a slight smile. "He helped me." There was a polite knock at the door as I said it and Gormon let himself in. "I'll let you see your guest," I excused myself. "There's a few other things I want to do – I hear the other areas are having trouble too, maybe I can help them as well."

Since Gormon had no bad news to receive his meeting was far more lengthy than I'd remembered. I ducked outside and used the Stone mask again to find somewhere I wouldn't be noticed changing forms, switching to Hylian, then went back into the Mayor's Residence for the _other_ thing I had to do there, heading for the Mayor's room instead.

"They're in a heated debate there, boy," the receptionist warned me. "They may not notice you."

"I'll make them notice," I told her grimly. I ignored the debate – it was, more or less, the same one I'd heard before. Mayor Dotour nodded briefly to me with a long-suffering expression toward the two parties present, one of two guards and the other of two workmen.

I winked to him, took out the Couple's Mask, and deliberately placed it very loudly on the table where they could all hear it. Silence was immediate as everyone stared at it, realizing what it meant.

"Ah," the mayor said at last. "So a young couple has come together."

"I wonder," one of the guards, Viscen, mused to himself. "Did my wife flee?"

"What was that?" Mutoh said in astonishment.

"Gentlemen," Dotour cut over them. "I think we should hear what this boy has to say. Well, young man?"

Now all attention was on me, I was oddly nervous, but I pushed that aside and addressed them.

"My name is Silver, Mayor Dotour – and the rest of you too, but I'm afraid I don't know your names," I lied. "I've just come here from a place called Hyrule where I recently helped seal away an great evil named Ganondorf, and the locals know me as the Hero of Time. I'm _not_ making this up, so stop looking at me like that," I told the unidentified workman, who looked as if he was going to laugh. "Do think I'd carry around this without reason?" I asked, drawing my sword slightly.

"Now, Silver," Dotour said gently but reprovingly. "There's no need for threats. I imagine you've come here to tell us you intend to do something about our current predicament?"

"That's right. The Great Fairies made me aware of the impending crisis some time ago, but I had to finish up in Hyrule before I could come here. They were able to tell me what I needed to know to solve the problems here. I only need to visit the four Temples in the lands around town, which have a Demon awaiting me at their heart who's presence is corrupting them. In doing so I cleanse them, and then on the eve of the carnival itself I'll ascend the Clock Tower and confront the source itself. You have no need to leave town – I _will_ stop the moon from falling."

"You?" Mutoh demanded. "A mere boy? What could you possibly hope to do?" he snorted derisively.

I shot him a look filled with venom, then snapped a word that was pure gibberish and raised my hand. The startled workman rose quickly into the air.

"Do you need any more convincing?" I asked icily. Mutoh stared at me, then shook his head violently. I set him gently back down again. He continued to stare at me, stepping back unconsciously.

"Your promise is filled with hope," Viscen said to me. "But one wonders if it is a false hope."

"Don't be silly," I told him, still slightly irritated. "I can and will do this, and no force in the land, not even the Demon Majora who is behind all this, can stop me."

_"Come then, 'Hero',"_ Majora's voice thundered. _"Let us see you stop me!"_

I ignored him.

The mayor appeared to have been thinking, handing me back the Couple's Mask as he spoke thoughtfully. "We are all concerned about out families, as Captain Viscen's remark suggested. And we all hope that you can keep your promise, young Silver. But I cannot make a ruling either way. Whether you are stubborn or hopeful and will stay, or whether you choose to flee, that choice must be made by each individual. Whether Silver succeeds or not is not dependant on us."

"Actually, that's not entirely true," I broke in. "There's an interesting aspect of my magic that _can_ help, but it's not essential as such. It's just if enough people are thinking of me at any one moment, I can in some way use that as a source of power. I won't need anything of the sort until I actually face Majora, but I thought you might want to know."

"As useful as it is – the choice to support you thus is also not mine to make," Dotour said. "But I know that regardless of what we do, we all wish you the best, Silver. Now gentlemen, since this meeting has no purpose, why don't you go back to work and let me get back to running the town?"

And that ended the meeting. Mutoh practically ran from me after my little display, and after I gave a wicked little smile to his work-mate, he also fled.

"You're cruel," Tael remarked.

"Fun though," I smirked back.

Following that meeting with the mayor I went back to work, seeing to a few events I could handle in the meantime, in the process picking up a powder keg to destroy the immense boulder blocking Romani Ranch, defeating Goht, and using another powder keg to open the Goron Racetrack. I apologized to the little Goron Elder's son for not participating, using the same excuse as I had with Mikau for Toto – helping the other lands.

The Deku Kingdom then received another visit from the strange Silverwood Scrub that so enjoyed terrorising them. I'm sorry, but when you can throw around a little fact like that and get to bully even a King, you don't just pass up the opportunity. I'm not saying bully people is _right_ – but in the case of the Deku King, he needed it.

Odolwa naturally followed that, closely followed by a visit to the Stone Tower Temple where, since I had the light gem, I inverted it right from the start to face it. At least with my mind this time I was able to handle it far better.

Since this meant the four Demons were out of the way and I'd had my meeting with Mayor Dotour, a meeting designed to let everyone know there was someone who could and would help with everything and possibly get me a little help at the right time, this left me with a lot of time and not much to do with it except just help people.

Having saved many events now made this easier, actually giving me long periods where I really didn't have anything to do – and giving me time once again to get some rest. I spoke to Blaze and Navi during this time, and we agreed that although I would have loved to take my long-time friend with me to face Majora, Tael and I had started it, and it was only fair that we finish it too. She did, however, tell me that all I had to do was call for her and she'd be there to support me in a flash. Her concern was as touching as our deep friendship for each other.

I grew increasingly nervous as it grew closer to the evening of the third day. The moon itself had something to do with that – it's hard not to notice a giant chunk of rock that's visibly closing in on you. I did notice while I waited that I'd had some effect, as there were fewer refugees fleeing town now – but there were also none trying to convince me to leave. Word had got around about the boy in green with the fairy who claimed he could solve this. They might have been running, but they didn't want me to leave with them because I was the one who could stop everything.

While I waited, a voice I didn't recognise came to me, though I had a few suspicions.

_"Calm yourself, Silver,"_ it told me. _"You are my Chosen, and the spirit of the Hero resides within you – as do those of all other Heroes. You alone can face this challenge, and your trials in this land have more than prepared you to meet it."_

_"Just who are you?"_ I asked the voice in response, but it was gone – if it had ever been there at all. There had been no presence, no identifiable source. It gave me pause, at the very least distracting me from my original concerns.

When the time came for me to ascend the Clock Tower once again, this time in full command of my faculties and ready to face what lay ahead, I saw the townsfolk that had remained start to gather as if to see me off. The sight of them filled me with the courage I'd needed, and I went up and faced the floating Skull Kid and Majora's Mask without any doubt.

Tatl was there again, of course, but Tael swiftly cut off the remark that had been said last time.

"We've been looking for you two," he told them. "We won't let things go the way you want them to!"

"If it's something that can be stopped... just try to stop it," Skull Kid, speaking in a voice overlaid with Majora's, told us with a shrug. "But you," he said flatly to me. "You will not do anything."

He raised one hand, and on the clock face we stood four Dinalfos appeared. Without even making a move I gave them a cursory glance, took out the Great Fairy's sword and used my mind to wield it, sending it to face them. The creatures were puzzled by this blade and it's apparently phantom wielder, and thus they fell easily. Majora snarled and this time he summoned a swarm of red Bubbles. Again I responded calmly, using the great blade against them. It bounced off at first, so I moved the sword to protect me while I played the Song of Storms, which washed away their red auras.

Majora howled in frustration, living up to the childish reputation the other Demons had given him. While he was still capering insanely in the air, I took the opportunity to do what I'd come here to do and played the Oath to Order, the song the four Guardians had given me.

The song echoed out from the Clock Tower, not just the notes of the ocarina but on the drums, the guitar and the pipes. I had only played it in the one form, but the instruments of all radiated out from the Clock Tower, catching in bells in the town below and replaying the notes on them.

In the distance, the four Guardians faded into existence, and with them came the immense sense of their presences. They weren't Gods as such, but they held some eminence at least – enough to give them an imposing mental presence.

Tael, I noted, had taken Tatl aside and was rapidly explaining things to him. I left them to do that while I watched as the Guardians approached, taking up positions about the town to the accompaniment of cries and shouts from the townsfolk who had thought them mere legend – and above those cries, one single word. A chant that seemed to echo from around Clock Town – my own name.

The Guardians reached up to the still falling moon with their strange, echoing cries, pushing back at the falling moon. Majora screamed again, an ethereal one that caused the Demon's power to manifest and try to bring it down further, but the Guardians held firm against it, holding the moon exactly where it was.

They cried out again even as they struggled against the Demon's compulsion to make the moon fall, and Skull Kid collapsed, falling to the ground. Despite everything I knew he was not my enemy and never had been, catching him and setting him gently down. The mask however, had other ideas, unlatching from him and floating him.

"This is not over, Hero," it snarled at me. "I will not permit you to stop me, not now. Come follow me – follow to your doom and demise, Silver!"

The Moon's mouth cracked and rumbled open, causing two of the Guardians to have to find new places to push against it, and a kind of tongue of light emerged from the mouth, enveloping Majora, drawing him into the inky blackness beyond.

"Tael," I snapped. "We have to go, now!"

"I'm coming, stop panicking," he replied, flying over.

"Be careful," Tatl warned.

"Are you kidding?" Tael replied. "He's a Hero, it's his job to do stupid, reckless stuff."

I couldn't have said it better myself. We stepped into the same 'tongue' even as it tried to retract, and the view started to fade as we too were drawn inside the Moon.


	62. The Fierce Deity

**A/N:** Have a bonus chapter today, and the long awaited meeting with the Good Demon. There won't be any more updates today, but tomorrow will see the last chapters uploaded - however many there end up being.

Enjoy.

* * *

The inside of the moon was not what I had expected. Floating in the midst of a blue sky that had only a few clouds in it was a small, grassy island, rising up to form a hill that had an immense tree growing at its peak. It was not nearly as great as the Great Deku Tree, but again, it was large enough to shade a fair area.

Tael and I had appeared at the edge of that strange island, empty nothingness stretching away behind us in the strangely sun-less sky. I could feel a difference here, having travelled time so much. There was no time here – something passed here, but it was not time. Much like the inside of the Clock Tower, time outside was paused here.

I remained wary, heading for the great tree in the middle. I did not reach out with my mind, as that would have given Majora an opportunity to strike at me, which I definitely did not want. I knew Majora's power from the very first meeting with it, and I did not want that turned on me again. It probably would be, but I still wanted to avoid it.

Playing in the shade of the great tree were four children, each of them in white with the same reddish-brown hair, their faces all concealed by one of the four masks representing the four Demons. Somewhat apart from them sat a fifth child wearing the Majora's Mask, sat leaning against the trunk of the tree holding his knees and staring at his feet, as if he felt left out.

When I crossed the boundary between the unnaturally lit up grass and the start of the tree's shade, the four children ceased whatever game they had been playing and turned to me. An unspoken conversation appeared to take place, then three of them ran around the tree, while Odolwa beckoned for me to follow, then he too ran after the others.

Majora paid us no attention, which made me edgy – but then again, so did this strange place. Perhaps though this was only here to serve as the place the four Demons would keep their promise to me, before I faced the real Majora.

"I don't like this, Silver," Tael murmured, flying close to me. "None of this looks natural."

"It probably isn't," I replied. "But lets find out what's going on."

The four Demons waited on the exact opposite side of the tree to Majora, each standing two on either side of a curiously door-like piece of the trunk, and each looking at me expectantly.

"Hail, Silver," Twinmold spoke gravely in an appropriately child-like voice. "The time has come at last for us to do what we have promised since the time you released Odolwa."

"Here in this place our power is limited because of Majora," Gyorg told me. "But we have enough to open the doorway."

"The Good Demon will meet you at the end – if he will is," Goht said. "But first he will put you through tests to determine if you are worthy of him."

"Though we are Demons ourselves, our blessings nevertheless go with you, Silver," Odolwa concluded. "For if you cannot convince the Good Demon to join your cause, you will be at a disadvantage."

"Are you ready?" Twinmold asked me then.

"I'm ready. Bring on the trials," I told them.

The four Demons linked hands, looking to the door in the trunk, which then vanished to be replaced with a wooden archway leading into a chamber that could not possibly be contained within just the trunk of the tree.

Tael and I entered, the door closing behind us to seal us in. This area was styled similarly to the Woodfall Temple, an empty pit stretching down, several Deku Flowers and moving platforms about. Ahead of me was one pair of moving platforms rotating around, and beyond it a second one that had a series of spikes rotating the opposite way. Immediately opposite me was the door to the next area.

"You could fly this," Tael noted.

I considered it for a moment, then shook my head, "No. This is a test, Tael. My mind is the easy way out. I'm not going to do it this time."

"What if you fall?"

"Then I'll only do enough to save myself," I replied, turning into a Deku Scrub. "We do this the proper way, Tael. It's not right to cheat on a test."

The room was relatively easy to traverse though. I used the Deku Flowers to fly from the start to the first platform, then from there to the second narrowly avoiding the spikes, and then again to the door. It wasn't hard as such, but I still wanted to do it right.

The second trial was styled after the Snowhead Temple and consisted of an arrangement of narrow strips of rock with ramps at the ends, clearly meant for a rolling Goron. I considered the area for a time, noting once I'd changed form that there were several already opened large, gold-bound chests along the route I could use to direct myself for some of it, then an area that I'd need to handle myself. I planned out my route, then curled up and rolled, following it and bouncing off the chests where there were some.

The route took me around this large chamber in a rather roundabout route that again I could have simply ignored had it not been a test, but in time I made it to the second door, taking me to the next room – which looked strangely like what I imagined the inside of the pipes at the Great Bay Temple were like.

There was no way to plan ahead here. Clearly I was going to have to dive into the swift flow of water as a Zora, but from there I had no idea what to expect. Nevertheless, I dived in and followed the pipe.

It branched once, and I picked at random, then it branched a second time, and a third. There were never more than two routes I could take, and the water's current prevented me from backtracking. At the end of this route was a sheer drop I couldn't avoid, and when I ended up in it my view fuzzed, then cleared to deposit me, completely dry, back at the entrance of this area.

I chose a different route this time, remembering my first choices as I did so, building a mental map of the area. After the second run I started to understand. There were three choices, and each one branched into two. That meant no more than six endings, only one of which was the correct one, and some of them would have to overlap – a left then a right for the first two would lead me to the same third choice as going right and then left.

By process of elimination I was soon able to find the correct path, soaring out of the water to emerge into the fourth area, which oddly enough did _not_ look like the Stone Tower Temple, but more like a child's play-room.

What awaited me in there was definitely not a child, however. Another Dinalfos, on it's own, faced me. Rather than defeat it as I had the four at the Clock Tower, I held the sword myself as I took it on, avoiding its breath and blade. I used the Gilded Sword over the Great Fairy's in case it played a part, meaning I took longer but still defeated it.

That let me into the next chamber, identical to the last except there was an Iron Knuckle here. I sent a couple of Bombchu's for it, blasting off the lower part of the armour, then as I so often did I teased it into attacking, avoiding it easily and taking advantage of it's dull astonishment to cut the straps holding on the rest of its armour. Caution was necessary then, as without the armour's burden it moved quicker, but I'd fought them like this before, and soon enough it too fell.

Another chamber came next, this time with the Garo Master waiting for me in. I could not take this one by surprise, so defended against its attacks at first, watching as it bounced off my shield then attacked again, leaving no opportunity.

I noted in passing that it couldn't turn once it started an attack, so instead of defending I moved aside and struck at it's unprotected rear instead. After repeating that four times, it fell and took out a bomb to destroy itself completely, unlocking the next door.

That took me at long last to the final chamber, as the door here led back out to the strange grassy island – but on a pedestal between me and it lay a mask. It had features that looked human, and indeed reminded me of the brief time I'd appeared to be an adult Hylian. There were designs on the face in pale face-paints however, and the hair above was white as snow. It had a presence about it that I'd felt once and once only before now – the one that had helped me recover against Majora in the very first encounter in the Lost Woods.

"Greetings, Silver," it spoke aloud, the mask's own mouth moving even though it was just a mask. "It seems the time has come at last for us to meet. I am the one known as the Good Demon, the Demon Oni, the Fierce Deity. I am the one who swore an oath to oppose Majora even unto the end of days, and I am the one who sealed us within these masks. Long have I waited here, held in thrall to Majora and unable to uphold my oath, waiting for the one who would stand by my side and oppose the Demon Majora. The Demons of Termina have opened the way for you to reach me, breaking the seal to permit you entry to this place that is my prison and making it possible for you to take my mask and remove it from here.

"You overcame the challenges I put in place here to test any with, and you did so without the use of your mind, a choice you freely made and I am impressed by. So it is that as the four Demons wished, I _will_ lend you my aid, Silver. Take up my mask and join my power with yours when you face Majora and together we shall stand as one against him, and not even the Demon Lord Ghirahim, who even now awaits his chance to seek your blood, will save him from our might.

"But I warn you also Silver: Do not pay heed to the words of the Demon Lord. Now he is restored his words are like the honey that traps the unwary fly. I can protect you from that, but you will still hear his words. You must _not_ comply with him, and must _not_ touch that blade with your own hands. Should you depart this place with the Demon Lord, you place many lands in great peril.

"Now Silver, take my mask. While the Goddess of Time has stayed the hand of Time for us here, not even She can hold it back for long. We must not waste this moment She has given us. Take up my mask and join me in my battle against Majora."

"And after we have fought Majora?" I asked. "What then?"

"Then I will be in your debt, Silver," Oni replied. "For you will have freed me from my imprisonment and aided me in at last finishing what I started and swore to do uncountable years before. What you wish of me, I will do. My power will be as your power. What I can do, you will be able to do."

"You're tempting me with power? That's not the mark of a _Good_ Demon," I remarked.

"A Demon is a Demon, Silver," Oni told me. "Regardless of our alignment in your terms, we are all alike and all similarly limited. Power has ever been our means of appealing to another, as it is all we have to offer – and a Demon's power is not modest, capable of many things. Feel free to explore it while battling Majora, Silver. Find out whatever you wish about my power. Whatever you decide to do afterwards, it is your choice and I will not seek to change it."

Satisfied by that and with a fair idea of what I was going to do after we'd defeated Majora, I at last took Oni's mask from the pedestal it had lain on for so long, and then kept it out of sight – so I could surprise Majora with Oni.


	63. Clash of the Demons

The four Demons of Termina were not present when I emerged back into the shade of the tree, exiting the place Oni had been kept through the same gateway that I'd entered. I circled back around to the other side of the tree, checking the rest of the island as I went, but it appeared they'd vanished entirely.

Majora, now truly alone, had not even moved. The child bearing his mask still sat at the foot of the trunk, still stared at his feet, and still looked like that kid who always gets left out. In a way, I felt some pity for him – but knowing his nature, particularly after the candid admission of Oni, I couldn't pity the Demon who'd brought so much chaos to Termina.

He looked up as I approached, standing up to look at me. I felt a few probing touches at my mental defences, hoping I was masking the sense of Oni's presence with my own, then apparently satisfied, Majora at last spoke.

"Everyone else has gone away," he said. "Soon the world will go away too. I can't be held back for long. But while there's time... lets play a game. Let's play good guys against bad guys," he went on. "I'll be the good guy... and you can be the bad guy."

Before I had the chance to respond to that my view blurred again, replacing the verdant, if unnatural, island with a perfectly circular chamber that had no entrance or exit and no windows. The walls were a coruscating, ever changing mass of nebulous coloured clouds, shifting and mixing and splitting. Even the floor and the dome-like ceiling were like this, giving the disturbing impression that everything was moving.

Like the island, I had arrived at one edge of the room, and on the wall opposite me was the Majora's Mask, hanging as if attached there. There was a brief pulse of energy and the masks of the four Demons appeared around me, each flying to a part of the wall to attach themselves, Odolwa and Goht going to my left, Gyorg and Twinmold to the right. Once they'd audibly adhered to the walls, the eyes of the Majora's Mask lit up and with a crunching sound, it came off the wall, a mass of indigo tendrils sweeping down from inside the back of the mask like hair.

"So, Hero," it spoke in a low hiss. "Our paths cross again. The Goddess of Time cannot reach you here. Your fairy cannot help you here. You are powerless and alone, and yet in the manner of Heroes, you would still pit yourself against me?"

"I think you've mistaken me for someone else," I said, starting to smile nastily. "Or you've underestimated me – which wouldn't be the first time, would it?"

"What are you blathering about?" Majora demanded.

"This, Majora," I replied, taking out Oni's mask.

"You!" Majora's voice almost screamed. "No. It's a trick! I sealed you away!"

"Oh, you did," Oni replied in a voice filled with contempt. "But the Demons of Termina allowed Silver to pass your seals, and once he held me, he slipped me back past them the same way."

"You idiot, Silver!" Majora turned his fury on me. "Do you have any idea what you've unleashed? That Demon is the reason I came into existence!"

"Oh, don't be absurd Majora," Oni scoffed. "You know as well as I do we were created at the same time – by the same Lord. I opposed you because you-"

"Stop this, the both of you," I said quietly, cutting Oni off. Oni's surprise was clear, as was Majora's. "I don't particularly care what's going on in your private squabble, but I'm going to put a stop to it. I've allied myself with Oni because he opposes you, Majora, and so do I. It's a matter of convenience only – not that he hasn't tried to offer me something in exchange for this. What happens to him and me afterwards depends, as Majora might say, on if there is an afterwards."

"So you admit it then Hero?" Majora asked. "You admit that not even this idiot Demon can save you?"

"I didn't say that," I replied, holding up one hand. "I just said that's what you'd say. Frankly I'm getting tired of your childish bickering, so why don't we do what we came here to do and get on with it?"

Both Demons appeared shocked at my directness there. I took advantage of that to bring up Oni's mask, quickly dancing away from a beam of energy the mask shot at me. It continued to do that, keeping my attention on it in an attempt to keep me from wearing the mask of his nemesis.

I evaded Majora's attacks with ease, clearly seeing that he was again living up to his reputation and acting very childishly about it. He wasn't thinking ahead, he was just lashing out. Perhaps I'd underestimated my opponent?

It did however do the job he wanted. As long as my attention was focused on not getting hit, I had none to devote to Oni. I did, however, have a free hand, so even as I continued to dodge energy beams around the room, I concealed my reaching into the pouch and closing my hand around the spell crystal, calling on the part of it that had once been Nayru's Love, and creating a barrier of pure magic between me and the mask.

Majora continued his assault on that barrier for a time before he realized what I'd done, by which time it was too late for him. Like the other transformation masks, Oni's mask felt as if it was adhering, changing my form again. I caught the sense of Oni's own thoughts as our minds joined together, seeing the image he had in mind – like I'd thought before, it resembled my adult Hylian image, but in place of my serviceable Hero's Green were a blue-white garb that was made of a material that was definitely different, but nothing I could immediately identify. Oni had added a brightly burnished breastplate that if it wasn't made of gold, it was made of something polished to look like it.

As Oni's power became my own the question of whether it was gold or not became irrelevant. What I had been capable of before shrank into insignificance as the Good Demon's power matched mine with Majora's own, if not surpassed it. I understood in moments what Oni had meant about his power – I could do things I hadn't even considered possible before. Majora had created enemies for me to fight, and now I knew I could too. It had created the moon – and if I had ever wanted, so could I.

All united together in that transformed form, our minds were linked, yet still separate. Oni was there, I could sense him within my mind, but had chosen to have _me_ fight Majora, and have _me_ be the wielder of his power. He didn't even need to give any advice, because whatever he thought, I would be aware of.

I thought 'sword' and my new-found power caused a massive blade to shimmer into my hand, a blade formed not of one single blade but of two, twisting around each other to a single point in a double-helix, and completely filled with my own power – a power that put even the Great Fairy's sword to shame.

Though Majora's mask could not display emotions as such, I was fully aware of what he was feeling, and the chagrin he felt at seeing the two of us merged and working in unison against him. His attempts to break through the barrier had broken off, and a brief thought caused my barrier to cease to exist.

Majora drew back away from us, then I felt him use his own power – a power that if I had felt before would have felt immense, but now was barely noticeable, whatever he was doing needing barely anything to work.

The masks of the four Demons cracked off the walls where they had been held, Majora's influence once again upon them. He empowered them further, re-creating the forms I had defeated and causing the small chamber to swell in size to accommodate them.

With Oni's mind providing what I needed to know, I bent my mind to destroying the bodies Majora was creating even as he created them. He, I understood, had to concentrate on each, putting forth vastly more effort to ensure each was constructed perfectly, while I simply had to cause parts not to exist, allowing me to easily surpass and outpace him.

Majora gave another infuriated howl as I completed my work before him, leaving just the four masks hanging in the air, then he turns his will on them again, this time one at a time. With his focus on only one of them now, I couldn't keep up, and soon enough Odolwa faced me again, while Majora turned his attention to the others.

Odolwa brought down his own blade, but I negligently flicked my own blade to nudge it aside, the Demon's power amplifying my physical aspects as well as my mental ones. I swung the blade and Odolwa leapt back from it, but I knew this was likely to happen and empowered the blade with the ability to shoot a blast of magic energy from its tip with each swing. The blue bolt leapt from the blade and caught Odolwa's hastily raised shield, shattering it.

The startled Odolwa glanced to the charred marks on his arm where the shield had been strapped, his moment of confusion his downfall as I struck at him, a series of blows that had he been thinking straight, he would have known were coming. A downward strike cut deeply into the shoulder of the arm that held his blade, an upward strike severed his hand, then a thrust caused him to stiffen on my blade and burn away in defeat, even the mask vanishing with it.

In the midst of that fight Majora had managed to complete Goht, who even as Odolwa burned away charged for me. Fighting Goht with a sword was not the right way to handle it, but Oni pointedly reminded me I had no actual need to fight with it if I didn't want to.

I held up my free hand and put out my will, testing its limits as I created a barrier from my own mind instead of the spell. Goht crashed into it, and despite the sheer force of that impact, I barely noticed it. I re-shaped the barrier to enclose Goht in an unreal hand, my real hand mimicking the movements of it, and started to crush him. Goht squealed and writhed in my grasp, but could not break free – rather being a Demon of machines, he broke apart into many complex components, which like Odolwa burned away.

Gyorg's completion took place then, and with him the chamber filled with water. A single thought allowed me to ignore this fact and breath and move quite normally despite the water. As Gyorg now also charged for me, I simply thought of where I wanted to be, and was there. Gyorg rammed into one wall of the chamber, leaving him dazed long enough for me to send a jolt of lightning through the water that not only hit Gyorg, but also Majora and the incomplete Twinmold – the power I'd put into it destroying Twinmold's mask entirely, and making Majora again howl.

I willed the water out of existence and closed on Majora, swinging the sword again to send another blue bolt into the vulnerable rear of the mask. It turned quickly to face me, taking the blow to the front but shrugging it off entirely.

Majora's power flared and surged, causing the hair-like tendrils to retract and become replaced with a pair of spindly legs and arms, along with a tiny one-eyed head on top. _This_ was what he was going to fight me with?

I swung for him, but the stick-thin form leapt back with astonishing speed, evading even the bolts I sent after him, moving too quickly even for me to will myself to appear close to him. Aiming for him like this wasn't going to be effective I soon realized, so I came up with an alternative, though similar tactic.

Instead of simply shooting one bolt at a time, I took a leaf from Majora's initial assault and sent a barrage of attacks out, varying their directions and speeds and having them bounce off the walls and floor, even myself, filling the arena with a mass of multicoloured balls of light, some moving slow and sluggishly around, others moving so fast they left a trail behind them.

Majora could move swiftly, but the assault appeared to puzzle him and he couldn't avoid them all. Each time he tried to evade one another caught him from an unexpected angle. Eventually the only way he could avoid them was to create a barrier around himself, which he appeared to have to stand still to maintain. While he did so I closed in on him again and struck the barrier with the sword. It was technically insubstantial and made of pure will alone, but my blow nevertheless caused a barely visible chunk of it to be sliced off, making Majora flinch back.

I continued to strike it, leaving deep rents in the now flickering and wavering barrier until at last Majora gave up, vanishing and reappearing distant from me, using a pulse of power to shove away the last of my barrage and then again his power surged. The previously spindly limbs twitched and swelled, as if being pumped into more massively muscled versions. He grew in proportions to tower over me, replacing the single pod with one eye into a terrifying visage.

The Demon threw out both hands, one forming a long flaming whip out of the insubstantial air, while the other swung back as if holding a blade, and into it appeared the completed blade of the Demon Lord Ghirahim, the dark blade Majora had stolen from me.

"So we meet again, Hero," he said maliciously. "You might be empowered by the Good Demon, but I now empower Majora – and _I_ am no mere Demon but a Demon Lord. And together... we will beat you within an inch of your lives and savour every moment of your begging for mercy."

"You wish," I snorted. "You were defeated once before, and you can be defeated again."

Oni registered his concern about this with another thought, and I responded with a thought of my own, pointing out that while Ghirahim might indeed be a Demon Lord, Majora was not a swordsman – and I was. Perhaps not the best swordsman, but skilled enough to put me above Majora's likely skill.

Oni's earlier concerns about Ghirahim appeared to be unfounded at first, as he said nothing as Majora brought him whistling down toward me. I brought my blade up to meet him and ignored the feeling of the impact, but not the feeling of Ghirahim's separate attack on my mind, lashing out at it. The force of his attack would have been devastating before, but now I withstood it easily. I gave Oni a few directions, the impression of how I usually defended my mind and left him to handle that while I concentrated on the more real battle.

I retaliated against Majora's strike, slashing instead of stabbing, forcing him to retreat to avoid harm. The Demon was puzzled again by my attacks, unable to fathom why I sometimes swung high and other times low. He did however understand my focus on the side that held Ghirahim, knowing that if I separated the two from each other he'd be in danger.

He brought the whip into play, trying to lash at me with it, but I simply brushed it aside by creating a brief barrier that deflected it away from me each time, infuriating the Demon further. Ghirahim snapped something to him in the Demon tongue that Oni's knowledge made understandable to me, a command to Majora telling him to attack with him instead.

Majora grudgingly complied, listening to a series of further commands by the Demon Lord as he struck back at me. Neither seemed to be aware I could hear them and therefore prepare myself for each strike and blow, and knew their tactics even before Majora had fully comprehended the meaning of them himself.

Every time our blades touched I felt another mental attack Oni defended me from, along with a snarled remark by Ghirahim, a vile imprecation that sounded even worse in the Demonic tongue. I overruled Oni briefly to snap a response back that was probably just as bad, startling the Demon Lord with my borrowed knowledge of his language.

Ghirahim must have realized that was how I'd been able to handle his attacks so easily and stopped whispering commands to Majora, instead turning his attention on me as the two of us continued to strike and block and parry and counterattack. _This_ was what Oni had warned me about.

"You enjoy the power the Good Demon offers you, don't you?" his voice whispered in my ear. "Imagine what the power of a Demon Lord could do for you."

I ignored him, trusting Oni to stop his words forcing me to comply even though I felt the compulsion he left in his words. I kept my focus, keeping up my attack. Without Ghirahim's advice, Majora's ineptitude shone through. He was learning, but slowly, and every new trick I threw at him threw him off.

"Majora is as nothing," Ghirahim tried again. "Anyone could defeat him. He is just a tool to be used. Even as Oni is your tool. Why use a Demon when a Demon Lord is to hand? Take me from him and slay him with me instead."

I again overruled Oni, this time lashing out mentally not at Majora but at Ghirahim himself. Far from being a simple slap, if it had been done physically it would have been a crushing blow to the head. I felt Ghirahim recoil back from it, but he recovered quickly.

Majora meanwhile was continuing to learn from me, and I realized that as long as I still held a sword, I was going to be constantly doing that. I had created the sword out of my will, no doubt I could change it as I saw fit. A new series of thoughts altered it into a giant battleaxe that I would have struggled to wield otherwise. I wasn't as experienced with this kind of weapon, but I was banking I could use my mind, along with the armour Oni had originally provided, to cover much of that.

I took the haft in both hands and swung for him, the massive axe shearing through the hastily erected barrier Majora put in place as if it wasn't even there. He tried to strike at me, Ghirahim tensing himself to receive a mental blow that would have shoved him away, but instead of retaliating like that I simply raised the battleaxe and caused the sword to bounce harmlessly off the binding that held the blades to the haft.

"Stab, you fool!" Ghirahim snapped at him, apparently forgetting I could understand him. Majora did just that and slipped past me, the battleaxe not suited for defending against that kind of attack. Ghirahim however could not penetrate the breastplate I'd been given, scraping against it but not even scratching it.

"What's wrong, Ghirahim?" I asked aloud. "I thought you wanted me to take you off him and kill him with you instead? Now you're giving him advice again?"

Majora stared at me at that remark, then to the half-raised blade in his hands in fury.

"No!" Ghirahim said. "That's not-"

"You'd _dare_ toy with me?" Majora demanded of it.

"Watch out!" Ghirahim warned, just in time – for them. I'd made another attempt to strike at Majora with the battleaxe, Ghirahim's warning allowing Majora to escape the worst of the damage but not enough to avoid the axe carving into him. Majora was _not_ armoured, so I left a deep gash in him.

Majora seemed torn, as if unable to decide who to direct his wrath at, then decided to go for me first, striking down once in an attack that I easily deflected again, then recalling Ghirahim's advice and trying to stab.

Oni gave me a thought of a suggestion that would see us gain an edge, and as a result I started avoiding the stabs by appearing to grudgingly give up ground, moving Majora away from the nearby wall. The expression on the demonic head his incarnation bore turned triumphant, though I could sense Ghirahim's bafflement. He clearly saw it as unusual, I had Majora almost cornered, what was I doing retreating?

"Whatever you're doing Silver, tell me," his voice came again, almost pleadingly. "Let me distract him again to come to your aid. Let us defeat him together, then join forces to rule the world."

"I'm not interested in the world," I told the Demon Lord, who even recoiled back mentally from that statement. "It's my job to stop people taking over the world, not to do it myself."

"But surely that means you above all are qualified to?" he insisted. "You know what mistakes not to make. Imagine-" he stopped, then I sensed realization dawn. "Majora, watch out – he's trying to get behind you!"

That had only been a part of Oni's idea. I bent my will again, causing my voice to come from behind them, and including enough of my presence there so that if they reached out as I did, they would detect me behind them.

And then with that disembodied voice I said, "There's something you should know." Majora whirled to face that voice only to find there was nothing there. I raised the battleaxe again and before I struck down, I finished, "You're too gullible."

Majora screamed when the battleaxe carved deeply into his body, and he carved again as I struck from the other side. I continued to strike, severing every limb it had created from the mask itself, each piece burning away in a green fire, causing Ghirahim to clatter to the floor of the now shrinking chamber. The presence of Majora shrank with every empowered blow I landed, with ever piece I severed until at last there was nothing left but the mask itself.

The chamber started to shake violently, the colourful walls disintegrating.

"No!" Majora's voice, little more than a pathetic squeak now. "I was so close! Help me, Ghirahim!" he pleaded, but the Demon Lord had other ideas.

"Don't leave me here, Silver," he said, a peculiar note of fear entering into his voice. "Don't let Majora's death shatter me again. Please Silver – take me with you!"

"You've been shattered once before and survived it," I replied heartlessly. "I'm sure you can do it again."

"But Silver-" he started, but I was already bending my will once again, envisioning Clock Town and the top of the Clock Tower. For a moment I almost chose to appear somewhere people would see me, but then I remembered – they were expecting to see a human boy, not the Fierce Deity I had become. Ghirahim's anguished outcry faded even as the Clock Tower materialized around me, the moon above disintegrating in a rainbow light that matched that which had been in the walls of the chamber. The moon that had so terrified Termina was vanquished along with the Demon that had caused it, leaving in its wake a vast shimmering rainbow to mark the event.


	64. Dawn of a New Day

Silver fell silent, his eyes distant and his expression wistful, as if the memory of the titanic event had reminded him of what he'd evidently given up. Strangely, it was Knuckles who rose and took him aside from the others, speaking in an oddly gentle tone. They couldn't hear what Knuckles was saying, but eventually Silver gave a regret-filled sigh and returned to his place to finish the last part of his tale.

* * *

With great regret from both myself and Oni, I reluctantly removed Oni's mask and felt the immense power I'd borrowed leave me. Oni's promise of power hadn't been without substance, and I keenly felt my limits, old, familiar limits I'd had for so long I'd grown used to them, once I gave back all I'd taken. His offer to repay what I'd done for him by giving that to me whenever I needed it was so sorely tempting that I very nearly replaced the mask again immediately.

Oni, to his credit, understood. He said nothing, but in the last moments we'd shared an awareness I'd caught his thoughts again and knew that he understood why I'd surrendered the great and terrifying power I'd wielded to bring down the Demon Majora and fulfil Oni's oath.

After a few moments to get my thoughts back in order and focus again, I remembered why I'd chosen here and restored my apparent humanity. I reached out to Navi, who was again with Blaze in their room, and let her know I was going to send them the recumbent Skull Kid for them to keep an eye on, then when I told Tatl and Tael what I was doing, they insisted I send them along as well. Tael's choice to go along surprised me.

"Navi will want to know what happened," he told me. "And after being separated from Tatl for a while, I think I owe her an explanation too. You can bask in the adoration of the people you saved all by yourself."

I gave a slightly guilty look at that.

"Don't look at me like that. I _know_ that's what you've been up to, seeing the mayor and everything." He thought for a moment, then in a softer voice said, "Go enjoy yourself Silver. You deserve it."

I sent them over to Navi and Blaze, then descended the steps to the ledge that overlooked south clock town. By coincidence – though in this case I would much rather have another term for it, because I suspect _someone_ did this on purpose – my arrival back from the moon had happened moments before dawn, and when I stood there on that ledge with a mass of locals looking back at this proud Hero who had saved them, a single brilliant beam of sunlight peeked over the horizon and illuminated me and only me.

You see why I don't want to call it coincidence?

I'll admit I did enjoy it. In Hyrule I'd never had the chance, having to go back in time almost as soon as I was done, but here in Termina time had been with me instead and I was able to enjoy the moment of recognition and, yes, the adoration Tael had mentioned.

I ended up spending most of the morning getting even more attention than I ever had as Mikau for it, receiving grateful speeches from all manner of people, and in the end the only way I was going to get out of it and let the carnival actually happen was to politely excuse myself and pretend there was some other land that needed me as well, slipping away.

Or at least, I _appeared_ to slip away. The Zora band still needed Mikau to play, though the band thanks to my efforts the previous day were aware of the reality of the situation. Lulu had insisted on it, though she also delivered an ultimatum to the band that under no circumstances were they to tell _anyone_ that I was the same boy who had just saved them. Not even Evan contested that after the tones she delivered it in.

The carnival then finally got on, and I couldn't help but enjoy the moment seeing much of Clock Town again rooting for me when I played with the band. By the sounds of it, I did Mikau proud there, and no one was able to tell the difference.

I was obliged of course to meet some of the fans and at least appear to see other parts of the carnival that spread around the entirety of Clock Town, in the process allowing me to slip away to the local Great Fairy and return the Great Fairy's sword. After experiencing Oni's power, I had no regrets about handing it back, but I do regret that Oni himself was the reason for that.

The Great Fairy also gave me something that startled me in return for this – the Majora's Mask itself. I touched on it however and found that the Demon was no more, and the mask was now just an ornament.

Getting it back to the Happy Mask Man was more of a challenge, so I spoke with the rest of the band who covered my choice to return to my own natural form and covered for Mikau's apparent disappearance. Naturally I raised some attention, but mostly I gathered people just believed I was here for the carnival, and since I wasn't causing any trouble left it at that.

I did notice that no one made note of my clothes, since they were identical to those in the human form – but on my way down one street I found out why. One enterprising young tailor had worked rapidly to start turning out garments that mimicked my own ones, and was doing a thriving trade.

Time, I noticed, no longer paused when I entered the Clock Tower – but then, there was no longer any need. There, waiting for me as if he had been there all along as the Happy Mask Man, patiently stood with his hands clasped.

"Here," I told him, handing him the mask. "You have it back once more. The Demon is gone from it now, so you won't have to worry about it again."

"I knew I could count on you, Silver," he said gratefully, taking it from me. "And you have collected to many other masks, filled with happiness. Representing so many people who's lives you have touched on. If more were like you..." he trailed off, but then changed instantly to bowing. "But I must be going. It is almost past time I left and moved on in my search."

"Wait – before you go," I called him back, and he changed instantly again, back to clasped hands. He waited patiently, evidently aware of how hard this was for me, and how reluctant I was to do this. I took out Oni's mask again, looking at it for a long moment in which Oni again conveyed his understanding. "I want you to promise me something," I addressed Oni. "That no matter what you do or who you meet, you'll do everything you can to live up to the name 'Good Demon'."

_"I owe you, Silver. If this is what you wish of me in return, then I will do this for you,"_ Oni answered, then gravely said, _"I so swear that from this point onwards, I shall do all that is in my power to be the Good Demon in more than just name, for the benefit and peace of mind of my friend and comrade, the Hero Silver."_

"Then here," I said to the Mask Man. "I ask you to carry him. I don't dare keep him with me – I'd be too tempted to use him again, and I don't think I'd be able to resist the urge to use that power."

The Mask Man took the mask from me, looking at it himself before he changed instantly again, and now Oni's mask was attached with the other masks to the outside of his pack.

_"Wha- how-" _I heard the startled Demon exclaim, trying to make sense of it himself.

"A very courageous and noble thing you have done there, Silver," The Happy Mask Man said. "But also a very good thing. But I must be going... and perhaps in time our paths will cross again. Oh, but before I go... enjoy your carnival, Silver," he told me, changing to walking away toward one corner of the Clock Tower's inside. He stopped in place before reaching it, fading out of existence, forever putting Oni beyond my reach.

* * *

"That's almost the end of the story there," Silver at last concluded. "Kafei came and looked me up since he knew about my other forms and persuaded me to officiate for the official wedding of him and Anju. I _did _point out I didn't know the slightest thing about it, but he told me the two of them insisted. I don't think I did too badly, and they forgave me my mistakes almost as soon as I'd told them they could kiss. After that I once again told them I ought to leave, more to avoid the attention again, and I stuck around for a time with the Zora band until they were able to find a replacement to fill Mikau's shoes. Lulu pointedly told me that I _would_ stay to teach him until she was satisfied he could fill in. That took a few years, but I didn't really mind. It kept me busy for a time, and kept me out of the part of Hyrule's future where I was busy dealing with Ganondorf, so I didn't cause any paradoxes."

"How come the people of Termina didn't talk about you when I went there then?" Sonic asked.

"How should I know? The Hyrule you and Tails went to was some time after mind, after all. Maybe sometime I'll look into it and find out, but I'm content to leave it be for now."

"I guess you didn't need to worry about Ghirahim either," Tails noted to Knuckles. "If he's been shattered again..."

"Someone could still reassemble him," Knuckles disagreed. "I want to do something to stop that if I can. It depends what happened to the pieces."

"Another time," Manic cut over them both. "'cause it's _my_ turn now – and Silver's got that idea I gave him to handle."

"I'd almost forgotten," Silver said with a smile. "Sonic, would you come with me a moment? There's something I have to show you."

Sonic gave him and his brother a suspicious look, but neither said anything as Silver showed him outside. A green flash told them that Silver had taken Sonic somewhere and some-when as well.

Manic took that as his cue to explain. "I figured since Sonic was sulking, and there's bound to be a time when there's another Hero needed, maybe we could make a recommendation," he told them. "And since Silver can probably tell when those times are, I suggested a few things to help him home in on one. He'll probably arrive in a moment with him, only it'll be him _after_ he's done his job as a Hero."

On cue, a second green flash occurred.

"-didn't get my aim quite right," Silver's voice completed a sentence he'd evidently started earlier. "This should be about right," he added, and the two came in – only this time, Sonic bore green as well, one resemblant more of Manic's than the others, and he looked hard at Manic.

"You could have asked me _before_ you sent me off on that adventure," he said accusingly. "Do you know what I had to go through?" he demanded, then glanced to Silver, who was evidently trying not to laugh. "And _you_ can stop that as well," Sonic added.

"Something wrong, big brother?" Manic asked innocently. "You _did_ want to be a Hero, after all."

Sonic stalked off, muttering to himself. Silver burst out laughing openly now, then when he recovered, he said, "The time I took him to is actually on a slightly different branch of a time line than the one our ones happen on, and Hyrule there is flooded. He had to overcome his abject fear of swimming while there, and his boat didn't make things easier for him."

"Do you _mind_?" Sonic's voice came.

"Lets hope he recovers in time to hear my story," Manic said. "Or least that he's reasonable by the time we get around to his turn."

* * *

**A/N:** Whew! Some sixty odd chapters later and at long last we see the culmination of Silver's second epic tale, along with the hints of Sonic's own and the promise of Manic's one - which is coming up next. Sorry to those of you who are expecting Knuckles' adventure with Skyward Sword next, but _that_ epic is likely going to be longer and more arduous than any of the others, so I'm going to put that back a little bit.

For now that, I'm going to take a short break - if I can persuade myself to this time - before I start on Manic's story, 'Manic Minish' so stay tuned.

And now with that, I hope you enjoyed the story as much as I did writing it! See you all next time!


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